The Mercenary's Wife

The Wives Tales Four women auctioned off to genetically bred strangers in separate venues are uniquely destined to discover love in unusual places.

The Mercenary's Wife Tyler Blackthorn's treacherous thirteenth wife drugs his food on their wedding night and initiates a sexual encounter he barely remembers. The vital information she possesses about his past saves her from his ultimate wrath. When Valentina goes missing, Veronica Moorehouse will stop at nothing to find her younger sister, even if it means incurring the lifetime fury of an unforgiving mercenary. Their quest becomes a flight of survival when an assassin bent on killing elite Tiberius officials implicates them in the plot—Tyler because he's one of a handful skilled enough to have pulled the trigger and Veronica because a secret witness places her with the elusive hired gun. From an abandoned genetics lab in the Colorado Rockies to the big sky country of Montana, Tyler and Veronica must work together to prove their individual innocence. But only one of them is innocent. Sensuality Rating: SCORCHING Genre: Futuristic Length: Plus Novel (79,000 words)

THE MERCENARY'S WIFE The Wives Tales 4

Lara Santiago

EROTIC ROMANCE

Siren Publishing, Inc. www.SirenPublishing.com

ABOUT THIS E-BOOK: Your non-refundable purchase of this ebook allows you to one LEGAL copy for your own personal use. It is ILLEGAL to send your copy to someone who did not pay for it. Distribution of this e-book, in whole or in part, online, offline, in print or in any way or any other method currently known or yet to be invented, is forbidden without the prior written permission of both the publisher and the copyright owner of this book. THE MERCENARY'S WIFE Copyright © 2008 by Lara Santiago ISBN: 1-933563-99-0 First E-book Publication: January 2008 Cover design by Jinger Heaston All cover art and logo copyright © 2008 by Siren Publishing, Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission. All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental. PUBLISHER Siren Publishing, Inc. www.SirenPublishing.com

Dedication I’d like to dedicate this book to three saviors who came to my rescue with phenomenal ideas as I wrote The Mercenary’s Wife. My very grateful thanks to June Bowen, Sharon Calvin and Lee Duncan for the awesome hours we spent at the October Retreat in Cocoa Beach brainstorming our books. You three rock! I’d also like to thank my critique partners Carolyn O, Carrie Hensley, and Kristen Painter for the endless support you always provide during my writing process. I appreciate you all very much. Lara Santiago

The Mercenary’s Wife Lara Santiago Copyright 2008 by Lara Santiago

Prologue Tyler Blackthorn never forgot the bitter cold night of the ill-fated getaway. He’d been shot twice in the back as he and his brother fled the oppressive training facility. His first deep breath of freedom from beyond the compound walls stabbed his lungs with chilling pine-scented air like the knife he’d practiced with earlier during hand-to-hand combat class. Ahead of him by two strides was his only brother. Older by sixteen months, Tommy led the way out of a place they referred to as hell’s dark side. Together, they ran like the devil himself chased them from the primary youth training facility for Genetex Corp where they’d lived the last six years. Training, what a joke. Nefarious experimentation was a more accurate description. Crossing the institute’s invisible perimeter had set off loud blaring alarms. The rancid sound sent a hollow pounding into Tyler’s chest. His heart sped faster at the thought of capture. He focused on Tommy’s back and kept running through the dark. Motion-activated machine guns on hidden mounts, sprayed the perimeter with a volley of rapid-fire shots. Two bullets slammed into his back, forcing him facedown in the numbing cold. His cheek rested against the snowy ground as he tried to inhale. His lungs didn’t respond.

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“Tyler!” Tommy called. Tyler mentally sent the command to run as the biting cold saturated his torso from the hard ground, but Tommy turned and came back. In his dreams, they both played their established parts without error and without change. Tommy knelt and rolled Tyler face up. Internally, Tyler groaned but the sound didn’t travel through his lips. Once face up, indirect light shone on the tears in Tommy’s eyes. In recurring dreams over the years, Tyler was always puzzled by this. He’d never seen his brother cry. Tommy stuck a cold hand against Tyler’s neck as if feeling for a pulse. The responding slump of his body told Tyler his brother hadn’t found one. He put a hand to Tyler’s forehead, his thumb resting on the bridge of Tyler’s nose between his eyes as was their secret signal. A hand went over Tyler’s heart, and his brother uttered a heart wrenching, “I’m so sorry, Ty.” Misfits. Brothers. Friends. Partners in crime. Always together. Tommy was his best friend in the world. The bitter chill seeped the rest of the way into Tyler’s body through his shoulder blades and torso, freezing the words he wanted to say. Run, Tommy! Get away. As it always did in this dream, a gunshot ricocheted, hitting close enough to puff up the snow next to Tyler’s unmoving body. Tommy hadn’t even flinched. He’d remained crouched over Tyler. Silent tears streamed down his brother’s cheeks. Tyler screamed for Tommy to run, but still no sound came from his icy lips. A bullet sliced through the shoulder of Tommy’s jacket, eliciting a groan before he finally scrambled away toward the relative safety of the tree line. “I won’t forget,” Tommy said over one shoulder before disappearing into the forest. More gunfire marked the copse of pines where his brother had disappeared. Tyler wished Tommy had gotten away. More than that, he wished he hadn’t insisted they try to escape in the first place.

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The dream continued into what Tyler always referred to later as the medical portion of his unconscious. He woke alone on a steel table back inside the Genetex compound to the sound of low voices. There wasn’t a place on the surface of his skin which didn’t feel bruised, abraded or numb from the cold. His next thought was for his brother. He’d last seen Tommy disappearing through twin pines at the perimeter of the encampment. He prayed Tommy was far away. Beyond his field of vision, the voices came closer and entered the room. “Will he live?” the first voice asked. Tyler didn’t recognize the clipped formal tone. “Yeah. The nanotechnology is amazing. Kid started healing before we even got him on the table to remove the bullets. They practically popped out of his back on their own.” The second voice Tyler recognized as Bart, one of the medical technicians stationed in Genetex’s medical lab. “Good. Then I can report that he’s still a go for the escort program?” “Yep. I suspect he’ll be a favorite too.” “Unfortunate news about his brother.” “Yeah. They weren’t twins, but they looked close enough to pass. Together they would have made shitloads of money as a package deal for the rich dames willing to pay for their expert services. Ah well. I guess he’ll clean up all the hearts and cash on his own.” “Did the machine guns at the perimeter shoot the brother too?” “No. Stupid ass fell off a cliff. Broke his body into a bunch a pieces. Spattered his brains everywhere. Nothing left for the nanotechnology to do with him.” “Will the body be brought back into the facility?” “Nah.” Tyler heard Bart cough. “The bigwigs ordered security to hack him up and secure the evidence. Pulled all the nanotechnology out of him and spread his parts in a one mile radius. He’s warming the

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belly of several wolves by now. Even if they find some stray bones, they’ll never find enough to connect him to us.” Bart’s annoying laugh filled the room. “The parents will have to be notified. What will they be told?” “Fuck if I know. Probably a training accident. Blown up accidentally using live bomb shit or something like that.” “Why would parents sign up their children for this anyway? Stupid, foolish people.” Bart laughed again. “They didn’t read the fine print about what ‘really’ goes on here and the full range of skills their precious darling brats were learning. I don’t give a fuck anyway. They’d probably be street hoods, in prison or dead if they weren’t in this program. They’re better off, in my opinion.” “Well, one of them is anyway.” The rusty sound of mirthless laughter exited his mouth. “Someday he’ll have all the women he wants and more. Lucky bastard.” “Yeah, lucky.” Tyler disagreed. He didn’t feel lucky. He felt a hollow, lonely echo in his soul for his dead brother. Brains splattered in a ravine. Tyler likely wouldn’t be able to identify the place even if he was dropped in the middle of it. When he’d escaped, finally, he’d taken a different route. The Genetex Corporation’s Colorado training facility was faltering from lack of funds and all the pending lawsuits over what some of the genetic implants were doing to the older kids put in the program. Tyler only knew that their parents had been lied to. Repeatedly. First, about the way Tommy had died in an unfortunate training accident. His parents attended a closed casket ceremony paid for by Genetex. Tyler hadn’t even been allowed to attend. Genetex told them he was too ill. That was the truth. He’d been sick at heart since his brother’s death. Worse in Tyler’s thoughts was that Tommy ran for his life believing Tyler had died. Had that made his sure-footed brother slip

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and fall into a ravine? Was it Tyler’s fault for suggesting the foolhardy escape in the first place? The guilt ate at him over the years. He never visited the gravesite because he knew Tommy’s body wasn’t inside. He wished he knew how to get back to the secret location in the mountains where his brother had died. Why did you slip and fall that night, Tommy? Tyler woke with a start. The dream was as fresh as if he’d just lived it all over again, right down to the scent of pine lingering in his lungs and the chill on his skin. Heart pounding, he swiped a hand over his buzz cut and tried to distance himself from the vivid dream. Of course, he blamed himself. While ultimately it had been a good plan to escape from the facility holding them, it had been a bad night to accomplish the getaway. Not to mention that he hadn’t gotten away. And Tommy had died. The dream was becoming more frequent. Tonight was the second time this month. And it would increase too. The twenty-year anniversary of Tommy’s death was looming. The last time this had happened was a few weeks before the ten-year anniversary. Tyler fully expected that ten years from now, he’d have the same nightmares about that crucial night. The one which had changed everything forever. His cell phone buzzed, wrenching him from the regretful memories. Tyler answered before the first ring stopped. “Boss? You already up?” Snake Jorgensen, his right-hand man, was on the line. “Yeah. Something wrong?” “No. We got a new call for a husband for hire. It’s a rush job, and it’s your turn. I took the liberty of starting the initial file, but I can take it if you don’t want it.” “No. I’ll be in soon. I’ll take it.” Tonight of all nights, Tyler needed a distraction.

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“Will do, boss. See you in a few.” Snake disconnected. A new husband-for-hire case would keep his mind occupied for a couple of weeks anyway. Tyler decided it was better than rehashing a troubled past he couldn’t change. Too bad the secret nanotechnology implanted in his body couldn’t erase his difficult memories.

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Chapter One Veronica Moorehouse knew for a fact that the devil was in the details. For tonight’s personal mission to be considered a success, she needed to meet Tyler Blackthorn before Valentina’s wedding tomorrow morning. She wanted to ensure he’d show up to be the replacement bridegroom for her younger sister. Looking over her shoulder for the umpteenth time since sneaking out of her father’s home, Veronica took a deep breath and entered the mostly hidden back door of the crappy motel. If any of the Tiberius friendly bastards caught her out and about tonight, there’d be hell to pay. Her father would likely take it out on her, using the back of his hand, or worse, he’d imprison her and leave the chore to her future husband. Whomever that ended up being. Then again, Veronica didn’t plan to stick around long enough to find out what monster her father would select as her future husband this time. Once Valentina was safely married to Dylan, her true love in Montana, Veronica would escape into the wind as she had almost seven years before. Those years had been difficult and often challenging but, without a doubt, vastly better than living under her father’s autocratic thumb. Or worse, that of a vile abusive husband. Someone Veronica trusted from her life outside her father’s reach had given her Blackthorn’s whereabouts for tonight. She hoped the information was still valid. Had she investigated the information herself, she would have triple-checked it. Trust had always been a difficult endeavor because she’d been screwed over so many times in her life. Shuffling quietly down the decrepit motel hallway to room

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number seventeen, Veronica did her best not to touch anything. Places of business outside of Tiberius-sanctioned territory were often very neglected. This particular place would need an around-the-clock cleaning crew to work for several days to achieve the status of neglected. She checked each direction of the grungy hallway before tapping on the door. Vermin squeaked from a pile of trash across the narrow passage. The mound shifted as though it were alive. In a futile motion, Veronica slapped a hand to her hip, where her gun was usually strapped, and cursed when she remembered she hadn’t brought her weapon. Too dangerous to keep hidden in her father’s house, damn it. Plus, it would have been unwise to shoot a rat and invite unwanted attention, even though she hated rodents. With a quiet shudder running the length of her body, she turned and knocked a little harder. Meeting with the mercenary she’d hired was likely a bad idea, especially because as a part of his contract, he’d forbidden it, but Veronica didn’t leave important details to chance. She needed to ensure that this husband for hire wasn’t too frightening for her sister Valentina. Additionally, she wanted to renegotiate his exorbitant fee, something else he’d probably disallow. Furtively, she glanced first left then right down the hallway where she stood to ensure no one saw her knock on the mercenary’s door for a third time. In not wanting to call attention to herself, she resisted the violent urge to pound on the door and demand entrance. If she’d had her gun with her, she might have been tempted to shoot the lock off. Yet another reason she wasn’t armed tonight. Through the flimsy door she heard a chair scrape across the floor from within. A split second later, the door opened, and a beefy arm snaked out and grabbed her. She was jerked inside before she could take another breath. Veronica squealed an astonished protest against the hard frame of the man clutching her tight. Sandwiched between the door and a solid wall of muscle, she hoped this was the man she’d hired to marry her

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sister at the private auction in the morning. Heart in her throat, Veronica sucked in a gulp of air and tried not to scream. His warm body was sealed intimately to hers from shoulders to knees and overwhelmed her senses. His muscular limbs trapped her arms at her sides. With her face pressed into his chest, she inhaled his male scent. Instead of the unwashed body odor she’d expected, this man smelled…delicious. Of its own will, her body relaxed as she inhaled another tempting, intoxicating breath of him. “Who are you?” asked a deep voice from above her head. His deep, gravelly timbre pulsed a wave of desire through the core of her being. “I’m Ver…uh…Valentina. Valentina Moorehouse.” Veronica managed to stutter out. She’d almost told him her real name. For heaven’s sake, calm down. He doesn’t smell that good. Yes, he does, her neglected libido purred. “What are you doing here?” He squeezed, cutting off the majority of the oxygen flow to her lungs. “I wanted to meet you, Mr. Blackthorn,” she whispered. He squeezed harder. “Why?” “I wanted to make sure you weren’t a worse choice than the man my father chose.” He loosened his grasp. “Did anyone follow you?” “No. Of course not.” “This deviates from the stated mission parameters you already agreed to, Miss Moorehouse. It’s grounds for deletion of contract.” He pulled away and released her so swiftly she almost fell on her butt. “No. Please don’t—” Veronica grabbed his forearm to maintain her balance, and to maintain the physical contact. Once steady, she held on longer than needed simply because his skin was so warm. Her fingertips tingled as if an electrical current ran unconstrained beneath his heated flesh. “Miss Moorehouse,” he said, cutting her off. “This is a business

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arrangement. A very dangerous one. I don’t have time to play games.” He moved away and forcibly twisted his arm out of her grasp, breaking the warm physical link. Pity. Ambient illumination from the lonely streetlight filtered a shaft of light into the dark, dingy room. The meager light gave her only a shadowy glimpse of the man her sister would hopefully still marry. The first thing she’d noticed, besides the temperature of his skin, was his size. His height alone made him imposing, but adding his breadth to it, he was huge. She guessed he was six-foot-five because she was five-foot-ten and he was a full head taller. Impossibly wide shoulders, that had surely come from the overuse of illegal steroids, filled out his T-shirt. The sight of his impressive muscles while imposing was also intriguing and as a result a little bit of moisture shot into her panties. Her private condemnation of his ample build gave her the needed bravado to proceed with her plans, but it also stroked her libido wide awake. Veronica stalked after him, advancing farther into the murky room until she’d caught up to him. “You can’t delete the contract. Do you understand what’s at stake here?” He snapped on a desk light, illuminating his dark angular face. The surprisingly gorgeous man before her moved lithely with no wasted movement. Quirking a brow, he leaned his magnificent behind casually against a low counter leading into a cramped kitchen. Arms and legs crossed in obvious irritation. Veronica found concentrating on anything besides his tempting body difficult. Boring a hole through her with his stare, he asked with a smirk, “Do you?” Veronica focused on his wide, smooth, and sensuously shaped mouth as he spoke. Dark stubble shadowed his jaw and beautifully framed his lips. She imagined what it might be like to have his mouth touching hers. As she stared at his lips, one of his eyebrows lifted in question. What had he asked again? Pay attention. “Why are you really here, Miss Moorehouse?”

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Veronica broke her impolite staring trance and refocused on his chest. “I came here to alleviate my doubts over tomorrow’s wedding auction.” Good lord, he was enormous. Was this attribute prevalent all over his body? Her traitorous libido forced her gaze to stray lower. His tight shirt outlined his washboard abs enticingly. She got as far as his belt buckle before he spoke. “And after seeing me, are your worries allayed?” She narrowed her eyes on his belt. “Not yet.” He sighed deeply and she looked up. Tilting his head to one side, he asked, “What is your deepest fear, Miss Moorehouse?” Veronica swallowed hard and allowed the caress of his deep voice saying her name to penetrate her. She loved the way he said, “Miss Moorehouse,” as if it were an endearment. “If there is a challenge, I want to ensure you’ll win. Not only do you have to be big and scary, so does your best man.” There would also be a best man accompanying Brant, Valentina’s intended husband, tomorrow. His name was Clyde, and he was a big brute, but nowhere near the size of Tyler. In theory, although it had never been tested to Veronica’s knowledge, the intended groom or his best man could fight the challenger or the challenger’s best man. In the end, the last man standing after the brawl got the girl. In this particular case, the girl was her younger sister Valentina, so a lot was at stake in Veronica’s mind. A smile curved the corners of Tyler’s mouth. “Don’t worry, my best man and second for tomorrow’s auction has never lost a fight.” “And have you ever lost a match?” A single eyebrow went up again and he frowned. “No.” Veronica nodded once and glanced at his generous muscles visibly outlined through his T-shirt. She decided he would win no matter which man was pitted against him in a physical competition. That only left the matter of payment negotiation. Veronica forced her face muscles to relax and asked quietly, “Did

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you receive the first half of the payment?” He nodded once. “Could we discuss the final payment?” “No.” “What if I don’t have enough to cover it?” Tyler’s eyes narrowed. “Then you’ll be marrying someone else tomorrow, and I’ll keep the first payment for my trouble.” “It’s all I have,” Veronica whispered. She kept her gaze focused on the grimy floor boards between them. “The second payment will wipe out absolutely everything I’ve managed to accumulate.” She chanced a look into his ferocious expression and punctuated her plea with a final single word. “Everything.” Tyler’s face only hardened. “I have only three rules for accepting contracts, and you’ve already broken two of them, Miss Moorehouse. Either you want out of this marriage or you don’t. It’s that simple.” Veronica pressed her lips flat and dropped her gaze from his. She’d broken all three of his rules, although he didn’t know it yet. The final rule was that he’d only negotiate with the woman being married off. Lucky for her, he wouldn’t find out until tomorrow. If she could remain hidden until the ceremony, he wouldn’t find out until he raised Valentina’s veil for the obligatory kiss after the judge pronounced them man and wife. Envy punched her in the stomach and darkened her mind at the thought of Valentina getting to kiss Tyler tomorrow. Veronica glanced at his sensuous mouth. The errant thought of wishing she were the intended bride for tomorrow’s auction slid into her fanciful mind. Looking Tyler over from the top of his sexy dark head past his massive muscular shoulders to his feet encased in boots, she figured he wasn’t the worst man a woman could end up with as a husband. There was no arguing that he was attractive.

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Veronica wondered with unholy lust rushing through her overheated body what it would be like if she were to kiss the man before her. Her insides liquefied at the mere notion, and another gush of moisture shot into her panties. “Will there be a kiss?” Her rampant libido, without permission, voiced the words resting on the tip of her tongue. “What?” His sharp-lined stare promptly narrowed as if in accusation. Veronica cleared her throat. “After the ceremony tomorrow…” She paused and licked her lips. “Will there be a kiss?” Puzzlement registered on his features for a moment before shifting to amusement. “If you want one,” he said and shrugged, “sure.” A grin split his face, changing him from a scary, angry mercenary to an even sexier man. If Veronica had thought him gorgeous before, the bone-melting half smile he gifted her with made him dazzlingly attractive. Irresistible even. “Will you promise to be there tomorrow?” Veronica moved a step toward him without the conscious urge to do so. She hesitated a moment, then took another step closer. “Even though I’ve broken your rules?” Tyler’s arms and legs, previously crossed in an irritated pose, suddenly relaxed. He nodded, dropped his arms to his sides, and rested his palms facedown on the counter near his thighs. “I’ll be there,” he murmured and watched her carefully. She took another step, wanting to get closer. The unbearable urge to touch him overwhelmed her. She wanted to hold him tight and breathe in his scent. As if he read her mind, he raised his arms and opened them in invitation for a hug. It was a summons she couldn’t resist. Veronica moved forward the final step until she was enfolded in his firm embrace. She slid her hands around his waist and clenched him. She buried her face in his neck as his clean masculine scent

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impaled her lungs. His chin rested on the top of her head. “Want to practice?” he whispered. “Practice what?” “Kissing.” Yes! Veronica clutched him tighter as another streak of desire burned through her. She knew she shouldn’t kiss him. She wasn’t his intended bride. What would be the worst thing that could happen if she allowed one solitary kiss? Nothing at all, chirped her libido. Kiss him. Tyler Blackthorn was reputedly a very successful mercenary with several lucrative security businesses. The unusual business that she was interested in was a husband-for-hire business. Tyler had agreed to attend tomorrow’s private marriage auction for her sister. Furthermore, he’d agreed to secure the maximum bid price. If there was a tie, he or his best man were prepared to fight the other contender for her sister to ensure ultimate success in the endeavor. Marriage. A temporary marriage, though, so it didn’t count. The desire to kiss him rose so ferociously her lips fairly sizzled and swelled. One kiss. What could it hurt? No one would ever have to know. Well, Tyler would, but he was being paid to marry Valentina. Veronica doubted he’d care one way or the other. Besides, he’d never admit to being here with her tonight anyway. Valentina wouldn’t care. She was in love with Dylan, the cook’s nephew who was waiting for her in Montana. It wasn’t like Veronica was stealing a kiss from the love of her sister’s life. All these justifications infused her with courage. After a lengthy pause, she lifted her head, catching his inquisitive gaze. Lowering her stare to his delectably sensuous mouth, she murmured, “Maybe just one practice kiss.” The angular set of his face softened. Smiling lightly, he grabbed

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her chin between tanned thumb and forefinger tilting her face until he could look deeply into her eyes. Without further preamble, he lowered his head and pressed his lips to hers. Yielding as soon as their mouths touched, Veronica wanted to moan at the delicious sensation. Her limbs surrendered the second their lips met. Like touching his forearm earlier, kissing him brought a new level of heat into the equation. Veronica melted into his muscular chest. As his lips barely parted against hers, she boldly licked into his mouth to encourage a deeper connection. She heard a growl before he clenched her in his arms and engaged her mouth with his greedy tongue. Ohmigod, he tasted great. Veronica slid her tongue into his mouth again as the aggressive kiss took on an entirely new persona. Volcanic craving was an apt description. An itch grew in her neglected clit as her core clenched and dampened her panties further. Her hips shuddered against his spasmodically. She couldn’t help herself. She didn’t care if it made her seem slutty. Before she knew what he intended, he slid a hand down to her loose slacks and cupped his hand to one cheek. He rubbed and kneaded her derriere. The heat from his touch branded the skin below her ill-fitting clothing. Veronica’s hips took on a life of their own and pressed against his groin in rhythm of each stab of her tongue in his warm mouth. The voracity of the kiss forced a groan from her throat. Their panting breaths made unfulfilled desires surface in her conscious. She wanted him. The single kiss had turned into something brazen and had filled her with unspoken needs. Her knee lifted and moved to his outer thigh, opening her crotch fully against his groin where his growing cock centered. Delightedly, she moved against him, her clit rubbing against his stiff shaft and eliciting a ferocious desire to copulate. Rolling his hips forward, Tyler pressed his cock against her clit,

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once again sending a shower of sensations through her long deprived core. She wanted to come. She couldn’t think of anything else but gratification. Tyler sucked her tongue inside his mouth, twisted her around, and sat her down on the desk without breaking the sultry kiss. Veronica’s legs spread open as her butt hit the hard metal surface of the furniture. She circled her arms around his neck as he bent at the waist pushing her backward until her shoulder blades touched the desk. She slid her legs around his waist, and he rewarded her by pressing his cock against her clit again. And again. And again. A free hand slid to her collarbone to caress her with a tenderness she wouldn’t have expected. She pulled his fingers to her breast in silent invitation. He hesitated only a moment and palmed the flesh, massaging her breast lightly. Her nipple came to pert attention as he gently squeezed her flesh. Rolling her nipple between his thumb and finger, he sent a shower of sensation from nipple to core, and she couldn’t stop the escaping groan. Her senses were on overload. His hot mouth, his clever fingers, and his granite-hard cock worked in harmony and pushed her closer to the climax she craved. Never once changing the dynamic of the kiss they shared, nor the tender care of her breast, Tyler backed away, and his cock stopped stroking her. She moaned into his mouth until she felt his other hand skimming between the waistband of her slacks and her bare skin. His clever, fast fingers scorched a path along her lower belly, easily dipped beneath her panties, and soon lodged between her legs. At the long-neglected sensation of a man touching her intimate folds, her core gushed and promptly soaked his fingers. Now he knew how wet she was simply from the kiss scorching her lips. Veronica didn’t care. She pressed her hips forward, a gesture of encouragement for him to do as he pleased. He stroked a finger across her clit once, and she was the one pleased. The second stroke made

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her flinch as if goosed with a cattle prod. Instead of searing pain from a brand, he delivered long-awaited pleasure. She was on the very edge of a monumental orgasm. A thread of conscious poked her brain. She wondered how she’d gotten from a practice kiss to imminent climax so fast. She broke her lips from his mouth when his fingers entered her body. “Wait…” His fingers stopped moving but remained buried. She waited for him to speak, but he said nothing. After a few seconds, he resumed kissing her mouth. His fingers remained unmoving. Between the kisses he peppered her lips with, she asked, “What are you doing?” There was a pregnant pause before his chest rumbled in laughter. “Kissing you.” “You aren’t going to consummate tomorrow’s marriage,” she paused, “Are you?” His finger flicked across her clit, forcing a shudder to ripple through her body. “No. Of course not.” Veronica pushed out a long deep sigh. “I hope you won’t take liberties like this once the marriage papers are signed.” Which was completely self-serving since she was the one who had led them right to this moment and she’d scream bloody murder if he dared to stop. He laughed again. “Doubtful. There won’t be time tomorrow before we head for Montana.” He nuzzled her neck and nipped at her throat. He rubbed her sensitive nub again and whispered, “So if you want me to finish this,” he stroked her clit once more, “tell me now.” Veronica sighed. “I shouldn’t…” He inserted two fingers inside her body again and stroked her clit with his thumb. “But you want to.” Stroke. Rub. Stroke. Penetrate. He was absolutely right. Veronica was on the rabid edge of a climax that she wanted more than her next breath of air. “Yes, I want to,” she whispered.

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He licked her mouth, and she lifted her head to resume the carnal kiss. Tyler’s clever fingers danced across her clitoris, and her lower lips swelled with desire bringing long-forgotten pleasurable sensations which robbed her mind of coherent thoughts. Veronica slung an arm around his neck and pulled him down to the table. His free hand found her breast, and fingertips tugged at her nipple sending ripples of fiery desperation down to her clit. He simply overwhelmed her. Mouth, fingers, hands were stationed at each important erogenous zone. He read her mind and knew exactly what it took to get her off as if she’d whispered her desires into his thoughts. Working quickly, his synchronous movements brought her to a level of pleasure she’d never been to. Her body was a riot of blissful sensations fast on a track to completion. Fingers buried deeply in her pussy massaged a sensitive spot, and he flicked her clit one more delicious time. “I…I…Oh…” Veronica shrieked and came all over his fingers in a whimpering rushing release to rival any previous orgasm she’d ever experienced. Leaving her lips, he kissed a path along her jaw to one ear. He nibbled at her earlobe and neck until she stopped shuddering in his arms. Once her breathing was almost back under control, he captured her lips in a searing post-orgasmic kiss, and after a few seconds, she was breathless again. The loud noise in the hall disturbed their intimate encounter. Tyler lifted his torso from hers, but she pulled up to meet it again. Veronica thought it sounded like a door slamming shut. Her sister’s future temporary husband lifted his head and held her still against his chest. She snapped quickly out of the fog of gratification. What have I done? Tyler watched the door a moment and removed his hand, covered in her climatic juices, from her panties. He caught her eye and brought those slick fingers to his mouth with a grin. Her eyes widened in surprise as he licked his fingers clean and remarked, “Tasty.”

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She huffed. “Tomorrow, you can’t tell any—” The sound of a gunshot echoing from right outside the cheap door cut off her impassioned speech. A man shouted down the hallway, the drumming of running feet ensued, and two more rapid fire gunshots echoed. Tyler strode to the door, opened it, and peeked out. He called over his shoulder, “Wait here,” and exited the room, leaving her panting and all alone. Galvanized into action at the thought of being caught with her sister’s future bridegroom after what had just transpired between them, Veronica scrambled off the desk and stumbled across the room, her legs quivering from the intense orgasm. She opened the window to escape before he came back. Thankfully, the room was on the ground floor. The window led to an abandoned alley. She crept through the night as pleasure from her release vibrated through her body. Tyler had very talented fingers. She’d try not to think of that tomorrow morning. She hoped he would show up. He’d agreed. He expected to marry her tomorrow, not her sister. A sinking feeling weighed her insides as she traversed the dark, smelly, trash-ridden alley. She didn’t think what had happened tonight would change things for him. She’d planned this evening to further entice the man into her service. Instead, Veronica was the one trembling in anticipation of their next meeting.

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Chapter Two Tyler was overly cautious in all aspects of his life and especially with regard to his unusual husband-for-hire business. Last night’s activities with Miss Moorehouse didn’t fit into the neat, tidy box he’d set up for his normally practical and staid conduct. He chalked it up to the crazy attraction he had felt the minute he’d yanked her inside his room. Squeezing her lush, lithe body up against the door had put his senses on rapid high alert. The luscious scent of her skin called to him on some inexplicable primal level. Into the foreground of his brain, his libido had reared its lusty head with the siren call of her presence so closely joined with his. Asking if she wanted to practice kissing was not something he would have ever asked a prospective bride. Sticking his hand down her pants and sliding his fingers between her legs also wasn’t in the standard operating procedure manual for this business. It also wasn’t a very gentlemanly thing to do, but he hadn’t been able to stop himself after she directed his hand. That was unusual. He’d never had any trouble turning down any previous temporary bride requests before that moment. If she had balked in anyway at his escalating actions or discouraged further intimate activities, he would have backed off and apologized. He usually had better self-control. But she ground against him so enticingly and moaned so sweetly and kissed him like she wanted to eat him alive. When she’d grabbed his hand and placed it on her breast, he hadn’t been able to control the desire to make her come. His cock had been semi-hard since he’d pinned her to the flimsy

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door upon her arrival into the seedy motel room. Returning to the dingy room only to find it empty, his libido roared with disappointment. He’d been left with an anxious feeling for the rest of the night. Noting a hurried exuberance in his step, Tyler purposefully slowed his pace as he and his best man, Snake Jorgensen, entered the justice center. Private marriage auctions were officiated here. They were never advertised, unlike the public and corporate marriage auctions. If a man wanted to participate in a private marriage auction, he needed only to sign in at the door. Thumbprint identification established his bachelorhood. Tyler’s credentials were impeccable with the help of an important Tiberius supporter’s with which he affiliated, Charles Huntington. Charles Huntington was, in fact, secretly represented by more than one man. There was the public persona of an aging aristocratic recluse holed up in the huge replica of a French castle nestled discreetly in the wilds of Maine. And then there was the true persona, a driven man who precariously balanced yet another public life as Zachary Valetta, popular prosecutor to the Eastlake City society mavens and the invasive Tiberius politicos therein. Zachary Valetta was Tyler’s oldest friend. Representing an even older friendship than what he shared with Snake, Zachary was the only other recipient of his unyielding trust. Tyler and his men often signed in at various private auctions to establish a pattern. He didn’t want to get a reputation for only showing up at these private affairs to bid. The truth was that he rarely bid on any woman at any private wedding auctions, and only if prepaid to do so, like today. Rumors abounded in the underground places he traveled that he’d been married upward of a hundred times in the past five years, but it wasn’t true. The acquisition of Miss Valentina Moorehouse today would make

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only a dozen temporary wives. Tyler regularly patted himself on the back for having the foresight to know this would be a lucrative career opportunity. His old friend Zachary Valetta was the true creator of this unusual employment opportunity and his wife Evie Marsh had been Tyler’s first brief bride. That was usually exactly how he thought of all the rest that had followed, brief brides. Eventually, her name had become Tiffany Valetta to hide her true identity, and Evie Marsh was rumored to have disappeared over the Canadian border into a new life. At least that was how it was reported to the local press. Ten additional women, handpicked by Tyler, had each paid a hefty sum not to marry the man their fathers or guardians had chosen for them. He currently also had fifteen men working for him to fulfill the demand. With his impeccable connections to Charles Huntington and Zachary Valetta, he got a cut of every temporary marriage associated with his business. There were other husband for hire businesses, which had sprung up over the past several years, but his was the most lucrative, the most expensive and the most sought after. Tyler had grinned in delight when he received the second payment in full from Miss Moorehouse at dawn this morning. He couldn’t wait to see her again. “Is this it?” Snake, his best man for today’s wedding asked, shaking Tyler from his foolish reverie. He pointed to a placard joyously decorated with bells, silver sprinkles, and ornate lettering on an easel declaring, “Valentina Moorehouse wedding auction.” A thick black arrow attached to the sign pointed up the stairwell. Tyler nodded and led the way to the steps with Snake close on his heels. Snake was not only his best man for today’s ceremony, he was also his able second-in-command for all his business enterprises. Climbing the stairs to the room where Valentina was about to be married off in a private auction, he took a deep breath and prepared to see her again. Last night had been so far out of the realm of his

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comfort zone he could barely look at himself in the mirror this morning. He’d never so much as purposely touched the skin of any previous intended bride, let alone done what he did last night in the name of rabid curiosity. He hadn’t expected to be so attracted to any woman, and certainly not a prospective business client. He never should have acted on that attraction. Never should have touched her. But he had touched her. And unfortunately, he wanted to do it again. Tyler and Snake entered the room, signed in and took seats in the back. There were lots of family members filling the seats in the auction room. Beside him, Snake nudged him once. The bride entered the platform. A translucent veil covered her face, but Tyler knew she wasn’t the woman he’d spent such a delectable time with last night. A part of him wanted to ensure his research was accurate regarding the bride for today and her wild sister. He’d known with a fair amount of certainty last night that Veronica, and not Valentina, had called on him to meet and renegotiate the contract. The second she’d initiated the contract, he’d had every member and servant of the Moorehouse family under scrutiny, detailing every minuscule fact regarding their day-to-day lives. He dug up every news article for the past ten years and compiled a meticulous dossier before accepting the first payment. He wasn’t a fool in business. He was, however, becoming a fool for Veronica Moorehouse. The memory of the first time he’d seen her surveillance photo crept into his mind. He’d stared at the crystal clear picture without blinking for a full minute. Beautiful, wary, and smart, Veronica was not at all the pampered princess he’d expected. Not only her history, but also the chilly demeanor displayed in the photo immediately intrigued Tyler. In person, she was so much warmer, softer, and completely desirable. If anyone else had even attempted what Veronica had done, he would have refused to continue with the contract in the first place.

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Everything about this agreement was contrary to how he ran this husband-for-hire business. After his initial research revealed her deception, he should have refused any further dealings. But invariably, he’d sneaked a look at her picture and had rethought his position. He found himself so intrigued he decided carrying things at least to the next level wouldn’t hurt. The truth was he wanted to meet her. He had agreed because he had wanted to satisfy his curiosity regarding Veronica. She was a mystery. There was very little information available on her. The slim file holding her profile didn’t tell him the details of her life or what he wanted to know. She’d run away from home at age seventeen, only to return without fanfare a month ago. A Tiberius vagrant sweep had collected her, her DNA matched the prominent Moorehouse family, and she was promptly returned. No hint of where she’d been for almost seven years was ever explained. Victor Moorehouse, her father, certainly had the ability to keep her whereabouts a secret and had the deep pockets and connections to keep it out of the press. Tyler was practiced in the art of peeking into Tiberius records, and he was surprised to find that they didn’t know where she’d been either. Veronica was smart all right. It was damn near impossible to keep a secret life for so long. Perhaps she’d had amnesia although he doubted it. He smiled to himself. Now he was making excuses for her. No records of that nature popped up from the Tiberius body scan they’d done of her either. The minute he’d laid eyes on her in person, his heart had skipped a beat. She had a street-smart wariness he appreciated and smile to die for. The fresh memory of having her melded to his body sunk in, and his cock twitched. The sound of her surrender into orgasmic bliss reverberated in his brain, and his pants tightened uncomfortably again.

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Once he concluded his marriage to Valentina and had her safely married off to the man she truly wanted in Montana in two-days time, Tyler planned on having another quiet conversation with Veronica. He hoped the next chat involved more kissing, touching, and whatever else she wanted to practice. **** Veronica watched Valentina walk out to the podium from her hiding place at the back of the room. Thankfully, there was no stage set up as with the public and corporate auctions. The carpeted floor muffled her sister’s footsteps when she walked slowly to the center of the low platform. Being paraded in front of the assembled crowd was appalling enough. As soon as Valentina reached the spot for her viewing, Veronica noticed her mercenary sat up straighter in his chair, ostensibly to pay attention, but Veronica watched him for another reason. Now he knew Valentina hadn’t visited him last night. The veil provided wasn’t nearly sheer enough to shield her sister’s face. After getting a good long look at Valentina, he swiveled his head and stared directly at Veronica, still partially hidden in her corner behind a circular support column. His stern gaze drilled into her soul. If she were to be truly honest, his stare went straight to her moistening core as well. The memory of the wickedly satisfying night before stabbed through her, and she felt the heat creep up her skin. He’d left a mark on her neck the night before that she’d had to hide for today’s festivities. The mercenary she’d hired scrutinized her from head to toe before his lips twitched into a smirk. He winked once. Veronica wanted to die. He knew she wasn’t Valentina, and from his look, she had no idea what he might do next. She pleaded with him using her eyes as a messenger.

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Her message: Please don’t renege on our deal. Tyler Blackthorn only had three rules, and she’d broken all of them. It was a miracle he’d shown up at all. That he didn’t simply get up and walk out of the auction was another. Veronica fearfully played that scenario in her head. Would she have the courage to tackle him around the ankles and beg for his cooperation? She hoped she wouldn’t have to put that to the test, because along with submitting, begging was another alien concept to her general outlook on life. At the podium, the auctioneer leaned into the microphone. “I’d like to welcome everyone to the private auction today. Do I have a first bid from the audience for the lovely Miss Valentina Moorehouse?” “I’ll start the bidding at ten thousand dollars,” Brant said. He turned to his best man Clyde with an expectant look because everyone in the room knew what would happen next. Clyde chuckled. “I’ll bid twelve thousand dollars for her, old friend. She’s a very pretty girl.” Veronica rolled her eyes at the stupid playacting they did for private auctions. The high bid would win her sister as an immediate wife, but they always engaged in this stupid prearranged bidding game. Brant put a hand on Clyde’s shoulder as if he would hold him back from claiming his rightful bride. Oh, the fake drama of it all. “I must have her, Clyde. I’m sorry, but I bid fifteen thousand dollars.” Brant stood up and fixed his gaze on Valentina. Veronica’s sister swallowed hard. She searched through the room hoping for another contender. So did Veronica. “The bid stands at fifteen thousand dollars for Valentina Moorehouse. Do I have any other bids?” The auctioneer smiled at Clyde who shook his head and shrugged his shoulders. “I guess I’ll have to relinquish her to you, Brant.” Veronica wanted to write better material for the fake ceremony antics and abounding jocularity during these private auctions. The

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cheesy, crappy drivel provided by the foolish rich to amuse themselves during a life-changing event made her want to throw up. Because Clyde was relinquishing Valentina to Brant, she concluded that fifteen thousand dollars must be the established amount set between her father and Brant’s family. Veronica stared at the back of Tyler’s head and sent him mental waves, begging him not to fail her sister. She bit her tongue to quell her true feelings of wanting him for herself. But she wasn’t in danger today. Valentina was. Tyler remained silent. Veronica closed her eyes. She’d broken his final rule, and he wasn’t going to bid. The auctioneer held up his gavel. “If all the bids have been submitted—” “I’ll bid thirty thousand dollars,” Tyler Blackthorn interrupted the auctioneer. Veronica’s head snapped up, and an involuntary smile crept over her lips. Tyler, using every cent she possessed, uttered his bid in a calm rational tone. The room stilled in surprise. An audible sigh escaped from Valentina. Brant turned with an incredulous expression plastered on his overconfident face. “What?” The auctioneer found his voice after a few seconds. “The bid is now at the prearranged maximum set by the family. Thirty thousand dollars to…” He looked down at a syntho-page resting on the podium listing today’s participants. “Mr. Tyler Blackthorn.” Tyler rose from his chair in one fluid move and walked slowly down the central walkway to the front of the auction room to claim his bride. There was no sound in the room but his quiet footfalls on the aisle carpet. “But…you can’t have her,” Brant sputtered. “I can if you don’t match my bid,” Tyler smugly informed him. “The maximum is set at thirty thousand. All I can do is match your exorbitant bid and even then…” Brant trailed off when the

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implication became completely clear. Veronica watched the information wash down Brant’s silverspoon-fed features. Brant finished his sentence in a hushed tone. “We’d have to fight for her.” The auctioneer cleared his throat. “Do you match Mr. Blackthorn’s bid, Mr. Wilkes? If so, we’ll move to the tie-breaking physical match. The two of you will fight for the lady, and the last man standing is the winner.” Tyler encroached into Brant’s personal space towering over him, entwined his fingers, and snapped his knuckles. “Do we fight for her then, or do you capitulate?” Brant tilted his head back to look Tyler in the eye. He turned to glance at Valentina once, at Tyler again, and then his spine melted. Veronica knew the sniveling prick wouldn’t fight for her. In the end, Brant was proved a coward. “No.” Through gritted teeth, he added, “I concede.” He stalked to the back of the room to where the members of his family had gathered. Veronica did a mental happy dance, careful that her utter jubilation didn’t reach her face. Her mouth ached with the effort not to grin from ear to ear. Brant and his haughty entourage left the room even as she maintained a shocked expression mirroring that of her own family members. The joyful moment only lasted until Tyler moved to the auctioneer’s podium to fetch Valentina, his soon-to-be brief bride. Veronica’s stomach shot to her feet when Tyler gently took Valentina’s arm, and she quelled the urge to protest. It was only a temporary marriage. He wasn’t going to consummate the union with Valentina. Was he? Surely not. If he had sex with her, he’d be stuck with Valentina for three years. Veronica’s eyes watered up for some reason. Of course, they hadn’t had sex the night before either, but the intimacy they’d shared had been as important to Veronica as sex. The

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first kiss had been more intimate than any kiss in her past. She fairly swooned in memory of Tyler’s lips on hers, of their tongues dancing an ancient rhythm of passion. Veronica walked on wooden legs to the front of the auction room to stand with her sister. Valentina’s timid smile and awe-filled expression rested on Tyler. Her tiny frame was so utterly opposite to his beefy tall structure. Across from her, standing next to Tyler was another huge, thuglike mercenary. Blond and striking, he wore an eye patch over his left eye. There were two deep scars on either side of the patch. The one on his cheek was less prominent than the one splitting his brow. It looked like someone had tried put an axe through his face. She shivered at the thought and refocused on the imminent marriage ceremony. Veronica was to be the maid of honor at the quickie wedding. She took her place on the other side of Valentina. From the short distance between her and Tyler, she could smell his masculine fragrance. He didn’t look at her. He didn’t acknowledge her in any way. For some reason this made things worse. Perhaps she’d only dreamed last night. Valentina looked relieved for the first time since Veronica had returned. Today was her eighteenth birthday and also her wedding day. She spoke her vows to honor and obey. The Tiberius group didn’t care about love anymore and had written it out of the vows early on. Tyler’s final two words stabbed into Veronica’s heart with the force of a javelin. “I do,” Tyler Blackthorn stated and raised the veil of Valentina’s head piece for his first kiss with his new bride. Valentina Blackthorn. Veronica closed her eyes and turned her head at the last moment, not wanting to have a visual in her mind of their first kiss as man and wife permanently etched in her foolish heart. ****

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Tyler kissed Valentina’s forehead. He smiled inwardly when Veronica turned away, missing his chaste kiss. Did she expect he’d treat her sister in the same way he’d treated her last night? He suspected her trust in men was very dim and didn’t blame her given the world they lived in. He hadn’t helped that view much. Valentina looked a little shell-shocked. Tyler knew she didn’t want to marry Brant. He had done a cursory background check of the man she had chosen, Dylan Norton. Mr. Norton maintained a struggling cattle ranch in Montana. He’d never been arrested and lived a fairly quiet life. His parents were both dead after a tragic accident last year when he assumed control of the family property. He had an older cousin who worked to keep the ranch going. He was related to the Moorehouse family cook, Carlotta Helms. Over the past five years, before his parents died, he’d visited his aunt during the summers. Undoubtedly, Victor Moorehouse wouldn’t ever consider Dylan Norton, a cook’s nephew, a good prospect in marriage to one of his daughters. Tyler didn’t perceive Valentina the socialite as being the perfect ranch hand wife. A stereotype perhaps, but after seeing pictures of each daughter of Victor Moorehouse and learning about their lives and now meeting Valentina in person, Tyler wouldn’t have ever put the two together. Love matches were often between two mismatched people. Valentina and Dylan were no different, he supposed. His research of her said she was slightly pampered, and he didn’t see her fixing big meals for the ranch hands and living a quiet, back-breaking life in Montana, but whatever. It wasn’t his place to judge. He was doing a service. After which, he planned to come back and pursue Veronica. Tyler offered Valentina his arm. She slipped a gloved hand around his elbow and turned to face the back of the room. He led her down the aisle to her waiting parents. As a part of the standard wedding and dowry arrangement,

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Valentina’s family had procured a honeymoon suite at a local hotel for their first night together as man and wife. He expected her father had also secured a Tiberius sex tester representative for the morning. A device would be used to ensure they’d consummated the marriage. Tyler didn’t plan to meet the representative tomorrow. Tonight, they would check into the room for show, but they’d be long gone by the time the tester showed up to use his sex-o-meter on Valentina. Victor Moorehouse, Tyler’s latest father-in-law, wouldn’t think of making waves about this change of grooms during the reception. He’d have little to say since Tyler was affiliated with the all powerful Charles Huntington, a close friend and supporter of the upper echelon of the Tiberius Group. By the time Tyler had taken Valentina to Montana, annulled the marriage between them, and traded her to the Montanan ranch owner, it would be too late for Victor to change anything. Behind him, Snake offered his arm to Veronica, and they walked down the aisle to the small reception table next to the place where he signed the paperwork for the marriage. Tyler didn’t expect Veronica would speak to him in this carefully watched venue, so he used Snake to send his private message request. At the small reception, Tyler pulled Snake aside and handed him a small folded paper. “I need you to slip this note to Veronica after Valentina and I leave the room.” “What’s in it?” Tyler sighed. “Just give it to her, will you?” “Sure, boss.” Snake grinned. “But isn’t it bad luck to proposition the maid of honor at your own wedding?” Eyes lifting to the ceiling, Tyler muttered, “Jesus, it’s not a proposition.” “Sure. Whatever you say.” His smirk conveyed his disbelief. It was a request not a proposition, though Tyler hoped it would eventually turn into a proposition. Snake strolled over to the bride’s family area and hovered next to

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Veronica during the laughable reception complete with overly sweet cake and vile-tasting champagne punch. The note Snake delivered to Veronica contained a place and a date for a private meeting. If she were willing, Tyler had requested the honor of her presence at the secret location exactly one week from today. He wanted her to meet him on neutral ground. He wanted to discuss his ultimate intentions during the clandestine get-together. And most of all, he simply wanted her…desperately. Sending a silent prayer for Veronica’s appearance next week, Tyler directed his attention to the reception and toasted his new temporary wife, Valentina.

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Chapter Three Veronica was in trouble. Big, bad, ugly trouble. Jogging quickly through ramshackle streets, the angry clouds overhead threatened a downpour, and she spied a promising building to duck into until the threat of capture passed. The sharp, tangy scent of pre-rain ozone followed her inside as the first few fat drops fell from the sky. Searching the shadows in the abandoned warehouse for a hiding place, she took a moment and caressed the outer pocket of her rough trousers, which held the special scrap of paper with the surprising invitation from Tyler Blackthorn. She ducked behind a dilapidated wooden crate as the warehouse doors opened in the distance. The loud banging of the rusted double doors signaled that a Tiberius vagrant search was underway. Again. They were, in reality, very annoying this week. This was the fifth one in as many days. Usually they were fairly regular weekly events, transpiring early in the work week, but because of the recent assassination of a highly placed Tiberius official, the patrols had been stepped up. The assassin had used considerable skill, along with an expensive long range, highpowered rifle. Logic dictated that whoever had killed the tyrant was living in Tiberius-sanctioned territory and not on the raggedy outskirts of the deplorably forgotten landscape where she now hid. The have-nots and outcasts lived here, armed only with basic survival skills, and often times they only barely survived. Most times, they didn’t survive at all. Veronica had spent a third of her life being forgotten and had only allowed herself to be swept up in last month’s vagrant search so she could help Valentina escape a bad marriage. She’d expended a

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significant portion of her hard won savings along with some borrowed money to do so, but it helped assuage her guilt of leaving Valentina behind so many years ago. Now, six days after Valentina’s short two-day marriage to Tyler and a hasty trip to Montana, her sister was safe and living with Dylan Norton, a decent hardworking man. Veronica had dared to make a dangerous call earlier this morning to ensure her sister was safe and happy, which was why she was so close to Tiberius-sanctioned borders and now hunkered down hiding from robot vagrancy patrols. Like they cared what happened to outcasts and have-nots. They didn’t, but recent events had put fear into those in charge. There had been an assassination the day of Valentina’s wedding. After returning to the relative safety of the hidey-hole created from a lengthy life on the streets, Skip had caught her up on current events and the details of the latest Tiberius assassination. The Tiberius officials were scrambling around investigating anyone not of their world because someone was obviously out to get them. While Veronica didn’t agree with the method, she understood and supported the idea of getting rid of Tiberius control. Instead of assassinating them, Veronica wanted the smug leaders to suffer the same indignities they’d put women through for the past five years. Tit for tat was better revenge in her mind. In the meantime, the assassins were a big pain in the butt for those on the fringes of the “golden” society maintained with border guards and barbed wire by the Tiberius Group. A spotlight snapped on suddenly, showering her hiding spot with illumination meant to penetrate and locate. She needed to be careful and concentrate. Willing her body to stay still, Veronica held her breath as the spotlight beam traveled to the right and left and all around the box. If she didn’t know better, she’d think they knew she was here. But they

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couldn’t. The stink of rotting dead fish assaulted her lungs when she took a quiet shallow mouthful of air in her cramped hiding place. The scent turned her stomach and made her wish she’d skipped the light meal she’d eaten earlier. Swallowing the urge to lose dinner, she took another breath through her mouth to avoid the overwhelming stench. The note that Snake Jorgenson had given her the day of Valentina’s wedding rested in her pocket. “From your new brother-inlaw,” Snake had whispered in her ear as he’d palmed the note into her hand so no one in the wedding party, or her parents, would see. She pressed her fingers into the center of the square and recited the words on the paper in her mind. Meet me. Overton Warehouse. One week from right now. Please. T Ten words, four periods, and his initial. But that simple message request had turned her emotions inside out and had dumped them on their head. Should she go or not? He’d said please. How could she refuse? What did he want? In point of fact, she suspected she knew exactly the answer to the question of what he wanted. He no doubt wished to discuss the deal for marrying Valentina and all those rules violations. A smile crept onto her face. Or perhaps he wished to discuss the night before Valentina’s wedding auction day and the intimacy they’d shared. Her heart pounded in reverent memory. The note had already been prepared before he came into the auction room. Veronica knew because she had watched him the entire time. That information suggested he had known she wasn’t Valentina at his seedy motel. The very thought brought another warm smile to her lips, even in this desolate place and with robotic Tiberius thugs swarming all around her. Tyler had earned her eternal gratitude because he’d overlooked all

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those rules violations and saved Valentina anyway. Even after she’d broken every line item in their under-the-table contract, he’d come through for her. And for Valentina. She smiled in memory of his expression when he’d seen that she wasn’t the bride. Amusement, not anger, had caressed his features. Undoubtedly, he’d already known somehow the night before. Otherwise, he couldn’t have had a note prepared. A man after her own heart, he’d written the note on real woodpulp paper and not the allowed syntho-paper. Others might not have noticed, but Veronica did. The note itself was like treasure. She suspected the man who’d written it was also a treasure in his own way. She knew that he intrigued her. She dearly wanted to meet him. In conjunction with her phone call to her sister this morning, Veronica had already planned be at the appointed warehouse tomorrow the second she’d read the note. Although her original plans had her vacating the city immediately to avoid discovery by motivated enemies from her past, Veronica found she couldn’t leave until she’d met with Tyler one more time. In as little as twenty four hours, she could be encased in his arms. A thrill rode down her spine at the decision and she wondered if he had any prurient intentions. She hoped so. She knew she did. The clop-clop of searcher-bots striking the concrete outside intruded on her lust-filled thoughts. They were large robots sent out for search and “rescue” missions. Search and seizure missions better defined their use. Veronica paused to listen and estimate how many had been released. After twelve, she stopped counting because any search party larger than ten was overkill for a single victim. She relaxed with the assumption they weren’t looking for anyone in particular. Metal boot sounds reverberated along the floor of the large storage unit where she hid. It sounded like an army of them descended

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on her. Veronica pulled her nocks from an inner shirt pocket. It was a very valuable device she’d secured from DarkTech, the best underground provider of criminal equipment on the black market. She didn’t have much in the way of gadgets, but what she did have was the best quality she could afford. The nocks were like x-ray binoculars, only instead of penetrating solid objects, it used light, mirrors, and techomagic to see “around” objects of a solid nature. Peeking around the box from where she hid did not reassure her. The nocks lit up the central area of the warehouse. Shit. As she suspected originally, she was in very deep trouble. There were no less than twenty search-bots entering the small abandoned building through the dilapidated, rusty hanger doors. Four rows of five search-bots marched side by side, pushing aside anything in their path. It wouldn’t be long before they discovered her hiding place. Using her nocks, she twisted around and searched her immediate area for another place to hide. She figured she had about two minutes before they were close enough to see her. “Veronica Moorehouse, show yourself.” The hollow metallic sound of the lead search-bot sent a streak of terror down her spine. How did they know she was here? For that matter, why were they looking for her specifically? Traditionally, search-bots were sent to find vagrants living in abandoned places on the edge of Tiberius sanctioned borders. They weren’t targeted to find one person. This warehouse was well away from the line. “Veronica Moorehouse, show yourself.” The next verbal command issued would threaten her in some way if no compliance communication were sent. She searched frantically for a place to go. With the light surrounding her hiding space, she’d be seen immediately if she revealed so much as a baby toe from her hiding spot.

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What to do? Veronica fished in a pocket for her secure transmission device. She couldn’t risk speaking. Search-bots had very sensitive hearing capabilities, but she could send a message to her long-time close friend, Skip Castellan. She quickly typed a message and pressed send as the third and final threat from the search-bots came. “Veronica Moorehouse, show yourself or the carton you are concealed behind will be destroyed. You have ten seconds. Ten…Nine…Eight…” As the robot counted backward, Veronica quietly pulled all of her possessions out of her pockets, including the treasured note, her favorite gun, her communication device and the nocks. She quickly shoved them one by one into the open vent on the floor next to where she sat. Pushing her valuables elbow-deep into the shaft, she removed her arm and straightened her shabby clothing. “…Seven…Six…Five…” The robot’s metallic voice echoed in the large space. Skip would hopefully collect her valuables after the search-bots took her into custody and escorted her over the border. Once she escaped again and met him, he’d ask her about the note, but right now, she didn’t want to be caught with illegal paper or any of her electronic toys. They were too expensive to replace easily. She especially didn’t want to get caught with a gun. Tiberius folks were unsympathetic to any woman carrying a weapon. Not to mention the apoplectic attitude if the woman had the knowledge of how to use it. “…Four…Three…” Veronica stood and stepped out from behind the box with her hands raised in the air. She approached the center robot in the first row never looking back at the space where she’d hid. The lead robot clomped towards her. When they were toe to toe, the robot lifted an arm and she was scanned head to knees for her identity.

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“You will accompany us.” “Why? I haven’t done anything wrong.” Veronica expected the robot would spout the regular drivel about women not being allowed to traverse out in the world without an appropriate male family member as an escort. “Your father has requested your presence so that you may serve his will.” Veronica’s eyes widened. “My father? What does he want?” But she already knew what her father wanted. Utter domination of her spirit, and another daughter to marry off to the latest monster he’d picked out for a family alliance that would grant him additional land holdings and even more political power than he already possessed. What she didn’t know was how she’d been found. No one knew her exact location. How in the world had they tracked her down? The more disturbing question ringing in her brain was who in her organization had betrayed her? The search-bots took her directly to her father’s home by way of a secret entrance so no one could witness her return. All but two of them departed her father’s house, which was plenty enough to keep her subdued and unable to consider any possibility of escape. Enduring another blistering lecture from her father, she’d ignored his ranting even when he’d struck her with his open hand. It didn’t matter what he said, he just wanted to take out his anger on her. But she started paying attention when he mentioned a particular name she’d hoped never to hear again. “Draken will put you in your place.” “Draken?” Veronica had been engaged to marry him when she’d run away almost seven years before. He was, in fact, the reason she escaped. “He’s married.” Veronica had checked on that fact while making plans to rescue Valentina. She knew Draken would come after her if he were still single. Her father’s smug expression disturbed her. “There was an

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unfortunate accident the day of Valentina’s wedding. His wife was accidentally killed.” “You mean Draken murdered her.” The sting of the slap didn’t hurt as much as the realization that her father was willing to overlook Draken’s homicidal actions in order to marry her off to gain more political power. “I don’t know what you mean. Draken’s wife’s death was an accident. I read it in the papers. Therefore, the fact remains that now he is free to choose a new wife, and he’s contacted me. He wants to marry you even after all these years. You should be grateful.” A random thought occurred to Veronica. She’d taken in one of Draken’s discarded women a few months back. Was that how she’d been found? Had Draken managed to insert a spy into her organization? Veronica lifted her head and stared at her father. “Draken is evil. I refuse to marry him.” Her father laughed. “You can’t refuse. I decide your fate.” “If his wife just died.” Veronica huffed, desperate to find a way to force her father to see reason. “He can’t marry for sixty days.” “Which is why you’ll be a guest below stairs until such time that Draken is free to marry you. I don’t trust anyone in this house not to help you escape so don’t expect any company.” Forcibly removed from his office, Veronica was escorted to her new basement prison by the two remaining search-bots. As the bars slid in place, her singular thought was on Tyler Blackthorn and that the very worst part of this unfair incarceration was that she’d miss the meeting with him tomorrow. **** Tyler was disappointed of course. Veronica hadn’t shown up at his requested rendezvous. At best, it had been a coin toss that she’d meet him anyway.

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The illegal wood-pulp paper he’d written the note on was his foolish attempt to show off. “Look at what priceless treasures I have access to. Don’t you want to be in my life?” He sighed and shook his head. He calmed his libido with the thought of initiating a trip to an established paramour for a long-awaited conjugal visit. He hadn’t been with a woman in a long while. More often than not, he used medication to quench his voracious sexual appetites. However, thinking about Veronica since she’d stood him up two months ago had heated his appetite to a point where the medication wasn’t even taking the edge off anymore. His genetic implants demanded frequent sexual attention to function properly. The memory of touching her and the delectable sounds when she’d climaxed was a powerful aphrodisiac during masturbation, but ultimately didn’t fulfill his needs thoroughly as female flesh would. And especially not as much as Veronica would. He’d never gotten such a rush from sex before and they hadn’t even had sex. The vivid, unexpected orgasm she released that night had washed over him with tight clarity. Tyler wished she’d chosen to meet him. Apparently, he wasn’t as charming and irresistible as he thought. Too bad. Veronica was not only elusive, she was a mystery shrouded in unanswered questions. He hadn’t found a hint to any part of her existence during the seven years prior to her initiating the contract with him to marry her sister. He suspected she had lived in the surrounding area and had garnered some current and regular connections to her sister. But try as he might, he hadn’t found a whisper of where she’d kept herself hidden for all those years or where she’d gone after leaving her father’s home while he’d been escorting Valentina to Montana. Flashing through his memories of all the private female companions he knew in this area, Tyler selected two who had similar coloring to Veronica and flipped open his communicator to contact one of them and set up a meeting. A part of him longed for Veronica

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and probably would for quite some time, but if he couldn’t have the object of his desire, he’d simply substitute it for the next best thing. That’s why fantasies were so popular. Granted, it would be a poor substitute, but it was inherently more foolish to believe a street-savvy, free-spirited woman like Veronica wanted a man in her life. If she had wanted a man, she would have met him two months ago at the warehouse. He’d waited there for several hours with waning hope that she’d show at any moment. He repeatedly cursed his lack of knowledge of her permanent domain on the wrong side of Tiberius sanctioned borders. Before Tyler had resigned himself to the fact that she wasn’t going to show up, he had assuaged his pride by convincing himself that she had been in a minor accident and couldn’t make it in time or was tied up with some important vagrant activity in her super-secret lair. The truth was he hadn’t expected to be so let down by her standing him up. He flipped his communicator closed, discarding the idea of using a private female companion. He knew it wouldn’t satisfy him. He wanted Veronica. Fantasies were quite never as satisfying as having the real object of sincere desires. In the current national climate, he didn’t blame her for being cautious or for wanting to be alone. Once Tyler had dropped Valentina off with her new cattle rancher in northern Montana and had freed himself from his twelfth marriage of convenience, he’d come straight back to the city and checked on Veronica’s whereabouts. He knew exactly where she wasn’t. She was no longer a guest at her father’s house. She’d promptly run away from her childhood home before he and Valentina had boarded the private plane for Montana. During his pre-contract appraisal and before he’d agreed to marry Valentina, Tyler’s study of Victor Moorehouse and his

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ambitious history convinced him she was smart for leaving again. “Got a message for you, boss.” Snake entered his office carrying a colorful disposable message device. The silver and gold swirled gadget looked like those used for joyful baby birth announcements. Although, he would have expected the color to be pink or blue. “From where?” Tyler wasn’t expecting any messages, especially any baby announcements. “There’s no return address. But when I ran it through standard security I found a previous address.” He raised his good eyebrow. “It’s from Victor Moorehouse’s residence.” A sharp stab of hope centered in his chest. “Who sent it?” Snake shrugged. “The last addressee was Carlotta Helms, Moorehouse’s cook.” Tyler squinted in puzzlement and grabbed the device. Why would Moorehouse’s cook send him anything? He pressed the button for the message to transmit and a picture appeared. It was a muddled image of a digital wedding auction invitation. As the strains of classical violin music poured from the device, a taped voice-over started reading the invitation out loud. Tyler scrolled through all the Tiberius crap to find the name of the bride at the end of the document. “…head of a family in good standing with the auspicious Tiberius Group is pleased to announce the private marriage auction of his daughter, Veronica Moorehouse.” **** The wedding auction was about to commence with Veronica as the intended future wife of the highest bidder. The bride wanted to vomit. A new law enacted to search the outer perimeter of the Tiberius borders for assassins had brought her under her father’s control again only days after Valentina’s wedding. She had been promptly imprisoned because of his suspicion

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regarding her behavior in general and for her daring to run away again after being gone for almost seven years etcetera, etcetera. Veronica had spent the last several weeks in her father’s damp basement in a prison cell constructed especially for her. When she wasn’t thinking about Tyler and the missed meeting, she’d used the endless time alone to ponder how she’d been located by the searchbots in the first place. The Tiberius robots had located her exact position with astounding precision. She knew they weren’t smart enough to have discovered her without help, which only meant one thing. Duplicity from someone she trusted. There were so few people who could have ratted her out, she could count them on one hand. Skip wasn’t her first thought, but he had to be included in the short list. She didn’t associate with many others, and she trusted even fewer than that. The girl she’d brought in who’d been a member of Draken’s household was still a possibility, but she was such a frightened little mouse, Veronica had a hard time putting her in the role of premeditated superspy. Veronica only knew that someone had betrayed her, and she searched her brain for every conceivable culpable affiliate. Someone might have put a tracking device on her. With a very expensive delayactivation device embedded because Skip had thoroughly scanned her upon her return from Valentina’s wedding. The only other conceivable idea was that her father had been smart enough to have tracked her when she left. She didn’t credit him with the brains to consider a female cleaver enough to do anything, but perhaps he’d smartened up after almost seven years. Or someone he’d hired was intelligent, for a change. After her previous escape from her father’s house directly after Valentina’s wedding, she’d met Skip at a remote outpost they kept up as a precaution. It was well away from their primary operations for security purposes. She’d planned to resume her life after a few days and made

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allowances for the contemplated meeting with Tyler. The morning she’d left the safety of her domain to take a well-earned vacation, she had told Skip she might not be back for a few weeks and to run things as usual until she returned. She’d taken her communications device, but left it turned off. Veronica assumed the message she’d sent her long-time business partner Skip hadn’t made it. Otherwise, she wouldn’t be standing at the front of this room in an opaque veil unable to see a damn thing. Her wedding dress, beneath which she wore absolutely nothing except a skimpy pair of panties, was heavy and uncomfortable. She wore wide manacles on both her wrists and ankles with thick chains securing her wrists to her ankles like a condemned prisoner. In essence, it was exactly what she was. Draken probably wouldn’t even remove the gag or chains before bending her in half, flipping her dress over her head so he could penetrate her as the marriage officiator said, “You may kiss the bride.” Veronica remembered the first time she’d met him ten years ago. He’d wanted her as his wife for three long years before she’d run away from home. Draken had told her upon the occasion of their last formal meeting that he couldn’t wait to fuck her senseless once she was ensconced in his private bed chamber and attached to the custommade shackles he’d created just for her. Even then, at such a young age, she couldn’t stomach Draken and his threats of perversity. She had escaped from her father’s home at the first opportunity a week before her eighteenth birthday. Later, from a faithful servant in her father’s household, she’d learned that Draken had been incensed at her departure. Veronica was unmoved by his fury. Her private response. “Too damn bad.” Served him right for being such a bastard. Today, however, she fully expected to pay for that long-ago defiance. She’d been under lock and key until this morning and only fed three times a day by a service-bot. No human contact. Her father was

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a coldhearted, demonic bastard and he had ensured that she would cooperate. Without contact with anyone in the world outside, it was guaranteed. No way to get a message out to her friends or to anyone else for that matter. Not even the man who’d occupied her thoughts for most of the time since her capture. Tyler Blackthorn. If she had gotten a message to him, would he have shown up? Had he requested a meeting at the Overton Warehouse for personal reasons or something else? Was Tyler pissed that she hadn’t met him? Would search-bots have greeted her if she’d met Tyler, too? Did standing up a mercenary qualify as permanent disbarment from future business? She’d likely never know the answers to any of her questions. Her mind wandered, and she considered who had betrayed her so cruelly that she was about to be married to a monster and probably killed after he’d raped her to consummate the marriage ceremony. Her father sought an alliance with Draken’s powerful family, and she was the sacrificial lamb to seal the deal. Every fact she knew about Draken was frightening. He was a ferocious businessman deeply embedded in high circles of Tiberius control. On a personal level, he was reputed as the left hand of Satan with regard to women. Already married three times in the last eight years, all of Draken’s wives had died tragically. Draken played the grieving husband like no other actor on the screen could match. Stiff lipped with a twinkle of moisture in his eyes when each woman was buried, cremated, or housed in the family burial vault, no one crossed him. No one. Veronica was terrified for the first time in a long while. If she didn’t have a mouth shield covering her lips complete with a vocal paralyzer beneath the veil, she’d be shrieking like a banshee trying to out sing a tempestuous thunderstorm. She wore a blindfold, but with the veil being at best only partially translucent, she wouldn’t have been able to see a damn thing anyway,

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not the room nor anyone in it. The plugs in her ears reduced the sound in the room to vague voices or perhaps birds chatting. Blinded, deafened, muted, and manacled, Veronica wasn’t even sure if she was in the same room as the bridal party yet. Her dark, near-soundless prison was a slow, torturous descent into a hell. One she furiously knew she didn’t deserve. Once Draken lifted her veil, Veronica’s worst torment would be permanently realized. Draken was known for his practice of retribution at any cost. And he most assuredly hated her. He’d punish her. Repeatedly. Until she was dead. She’d become the despised wife of Satan’s left hand. Veronica wondered if she’d even live through the wedding night.

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Chapter Four Tyler broke the sound barrier in an effort to get to Veronica’s private bride auction in enough time to register as a prospective groom. With Snake at his side, they’d arrived with five minutes to spare. They both signed in to the official registry, naming the other as best man should either of them win the high bid. Victor Moorehouse approached when they entered the wedding sanctuary. Sneering, he remarked, “You’re wasting your time here today.” “Is that so?” Tyler had fully researched Veronica’s father well before Valentina’s wedding. He knew exactly what he was capable of and now had a pretty clear idea of where Veronica had been since Valentina’s wedding. Hidden away somewhere. Out of reach, and of communication until today. “When you first won the bid for Valentina, I must admit I was overjoyed to be associated with anyone connected to Charles Huntington. Imagine my regret when you traded her off to a pig farmer in the north.” “He’s a cattleman, actually,” Tyler quipped. “He has a big spread in Montana. You could do worse for a son-in-law” Moorehouse grunted. “Regardless, Draken has wanted Veronica for years. He’ll win the bid on her today.” “Don’t bet on it.” Tyler wasn’t leaving the place until he had rescued her. Victor Moorehouse’s raised his eyebrows. He sent a haughty gaze to his left at the other prominent family in attendance for the nuptials. Tyler twisted his head and noticed several members of the Draken

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family. Tyler had kicked himself all the way over to the justice center. Why hadn’t he suspected foul play when she hadn’t shown up and followed up on that assumption? Why had he let himself believe she wasn’t interested instead of hunting her down like his libido had wanted him to? As they’d raced through town, Snake had done a computer scan checking on any and all updated information pertaining to Veronica and her family for the past few months. Tiberius Robot Security, under warranted orders from Victor Moorehouse, had kidnapped her from an unnamed forbidden space beyond Tiberius borders weeks ago. She’d been held incommunicado for the past couple of months until today’s wedding auction. Rumors from various sources, some legitimate and some not, flew around about the untimely death of Draken’s fourth wife, Sabine. Speculation included that the reason so much time had elapsed between Veronica’s capture and today’s auction was for Draken to get out of the marriage to his third wife. She’d died unexpectedly sixty days ago exactly. Draken merely waited out the mandatory sixty days between marriages as dictated by Tiberius law. Almost seven years ago, Veronica had run away shortly after her father had announced she was to be married to the most powerful member of the Draken family. Known simply as Draken, the leader of the clan had buried three wives in less than ten years after Veronica had run away, not including his most recent loss sixty days ago. Veronica’s first departure, before being married off to Draken, had taken place pre-Tiberius Group takeover, and Tyler had no doubt the reason she’d chosen living on the streets. Moorehouse focused his attention back on Tyler. “Draken will simply kill you rather than let you have her.” “He can try.” Tyler wasn’t afraid of fighting Draken. He was more worried about Veronica. “Speaking of the bride-to-be. Where is she?” Moorehouse huffed. “You don’t need to know since you won’t

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win.” He stomped away toward the crowd of folks from Draken’s family. It was no secret that Moorehouse had wanted to align himself with them for a decade. “Draken fights dirty,” Snake remarked under his breath, loud enough for only Tyler to hear. “So do I.” Snake snorted impolitely for the company they were in. “You haven’t been in so much as a bar brawl in over a year.” He inhaled deeply and expelled it slowly. Then he added, “You’re rusty.” Tyler turned his head and stared at Snake. “Thanks for the pep talk.” “Hey. Don’t kill the messenger.” “What do you suggest?” “Let me fight him.” Snake glanced over at the various oversized members of the Draken clan present for today’s auction. “I’ll match the bid, crush Draken and turn the bride over to you the second we leave the building.” “No.” Tyler glanced at his long time friend. “I appreciate your sacrifice, but she’s all mine. Besides, I know how to beat Draken. He’ll cheat, and I’ll turn his own con against him.” Snake grunted. “Let’s hope so.” Tyler wasn’t sure what Draken would do to cheat, but cheat he would. He would have to fight undoubtedly. Draken was legendary in his lust for whatever he’d set his sights on. He never backed down from something he wanted. And he wanted Veronica desperately. Not because he was enamored of her, but more likely because she’d escaped him long ago. Draken wanted her only because he viewed it as an extensive awaited right to a long-ago wrong. He’d finally be able to crush her spirit if not her life for escaping him. Tyler knew that if she’d married Draken back then, she’d likely be dead now. The dull throb of anger coursed through him at the thought of her perishing at Draken’s beefy fists. Tyler didn’t even know what

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it was about Veronica Moorehouse that he couldn’t resist. Possibly, it was her unwavering spirit, or more likely her seductive and responsive body. Memories of kissing her surfaced in his mind. Her hot tongue invading his mouth had been the most erotic and luscious act a woman had ever surprised him with. Her awe-filled expression when he’d licked his fingers saturated with her climatic juices sent his libido into overdrive every time he thought of it. She was passionate, beautiful, determined, and strong. Unfortunately, feminine strength and determination were no longer traits appreciated by the powers in charge. Another disturbing question about her arose in his brain. If her father wasn’t letting her be seen until the wedding ceremony, he wouldn’t have a chance to talk with her. What would he do with her once they were wed? What would she want to do? Was there someone she was involved with in her ultra-secret life? Would she have stood him up regardless of her father’s machinations? His gut clenched at the thought. Would she have been so sensual in his arms the night before Valentina’s wedding if there were someone she held dear? Internally, he snorted. Of course she would. To get what she wanted, she’d likely do any number of things. Tyler didn’t want to find out that she had another long-time lover waiting in the wings. Just now, it didn’t matter. He decided to gauge her intentions later, once they were safely married. He’d ensure she wasn’t forced to marry Draken and worry about her future later. Snake nudged him from his unhappy daydream. The auctioneer for today’s wedding auction approached the podium. He was a small man with red hair wearing an unusual set of antique glasses on his nose. “The auction is about to begin.” Not wasting time, Tyler stalked to the front of the room, crossed his arms over his chest, and waited for the auction to begin. Seconds later, Draken knocked a chair out of the way and slid in next to him.

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Draken’s best man, Kraal, so noted in the wedding auction book they’d signed to participate, kicked yet another chair aside to make room for himself next to Draken and directly in front of the auctioneer’s podium. Snake slowly flanked Tyler, positioning himself on the left without abusing any furniture. Let the auction begin. “The bride-to-be shall now be brought out.” The quivery voice of the auctioneer displayed his nervousness. Having four large men hovering directly in front of him with only a slender metal pedestal for protection may have put the tremor in his tone. Tyler heard the rattle of the chains which bound her before he saw Veronica enter the room. Two Tiberius guards held either side of the bride to keep her steady on her feet. She walked slowly. Was she hurt? Why was she chained? His hands fisted until he felt the nails break the skin on his palms. He searched the room for her father. Locking gazes, Tyler made sure her father understood his supreme disapproval. Moorehouse tightened his lips into a snide smile and broke the stare. Beneath the cuffs of the plain solid silk dress Veronica wore, Tyler saw the manacles surrounding her slender wrists and the chain connecting them to what he presumed were manacles on her ankles. A single thick chain disappeared under the hem of her dress. She was eventually positioned behind the podium and next to the auctioneer. Her veil was completely opaque, and he couldn’t even tell if it was Veronica beneath the thickness of the dress she wore. Tyler and Snake exchanged weary glances before turning their attention to the auctioneer. “What’s my first bid for Veronica Moorehouse?” The auctioneer’s wavering voice intoned. “I bid thirty thousand dollars,” Tyler said in unison with Draken. This was the established maximum bid for the bride.

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The auctioneer seemed to expect this response, but the quiver in his voice didn’t subside. “Well, then that means we have a tie breaker, and the only resolution is a physical match. Do each of you understand the rules of a physical match?” Draken sneered. “We fight to the death.” “Actually…” The auctioneer paused as he paled. “It’s only until one of the contestants is knocked out.” Draken slid a maniacal glance to Tyler. “Whatever.” He stalked away with Kraal on his heels to one side of the room. “How do I know for sure that it’s really Veronica Moorehouse underneath all that thick fabric?” Tyler pinned the auctioneer with a glare. The auctioneer swallowed hard. “You may inspect the bride after the match once you’ve won the right to marry her. If you wish to forfeit at that time, you may do so. However, your opponent will be offered the chance to wed her if you decline.” Tyler grinned. “Unless he’s dead.” Glancing at Draken, his remark earned him a nasty expression from his coming opponent. Nodding vigorously, the auctioneer missed Draken’s reaction and added, “Yes. And then his best man will be offered the same chance to wed her.” Tyler sauntered away to where Snake waited for him. The curtain behind the podium parted revealing an old-fashioned twentieth-century replica of a boxing ring. Most facilities offering wedding ceremonies and auctions had been fitted with these for the inevitable physical matches. Otherwise, the combatants often destroyed the chamber where the wedding was to take place after the match. “Sure you don’t want me to fight in your place?” Snake asked eyeing Draken. “Positive.” “Why are we here again?” Tyler looked up sharply. “What?”

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“Well, it ain’t like we’re getting paid to be here this time.” Snake’s eyebrows went up in speculation. “Why are you doing this?” Tyler glanced at Veronica and then shrugged. “Maybe I don’t want to see Draken win.” Snake’s uncovered eye rolled to the ceiling in obvious disbelief. “Like you give a shit about Draken. Try again.” “Maybe I like her. Maybe she interests me. What’s it to you?” Snake crossed his arms over his chest and grinned. “What do you like about her? She broke all your rules the last time you were in business together.” Tyler turned in surprise and grinned. “You knew that?” “Course I knew. Is she ‘interested’ in you too? Or is this a onesided liaison?” Glancing at the unmoving bride-to-be, he said, “No comment.” Tyler had no idea what she thought. Maybe she wouldn’t have shown up if her father hadn’t nabbed her. Snake sighed deeply. “God save you from capricious women.” “But don’t save me from Veronica Moorehouse. What can I say? She intrigues me.” “Whatever. Intrigue don’t pay the bills,” Snake muttered but backed off and helped him get ready to fight. “Jesus. It’s not like we’re destitute.” Tyler shrugged off his leather jacket and pulled the gloves from his hands. Tyler removed his shirt, depositing it on his other discarded clothing. Bare-chested was, in his opinion, the best way to fight. Across the room, Draken did the same, grinned, and turned toward his second, Kraal for a close discussion. A curtain opened behind the bride, and Tyler was distracted from his opponent momentarily. Veronica never moved a muscle. He knew many uncooperative brides were gagged, blindfolded, and deafened for the pre-ceremony. She likely didn’t know a battle for her hand was about to take place. Regardless of the outcome, he hoped she would know he’d fought for her.

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Victor Moorehouse was a vile bastard on a good day. Valentina had whispered a few troubling stories about his treatment of her and his other two daughters while they’d flown to Montana for her new life with the cattleman. One such story had been regarding Draken and his tirade at the Moorehouse estate after Veronica had disappeared. Draken had threatened to kill her if he ever found her alive. Victor Moorehouse had apparently agreed to help him do it should she ever come back. Tyler had no doubt as to Draken’s ultimate motive. He also didn’t much care for Victor’s apathetic attitude with regard to his own child. Tyler didn’t have any children, but knew that he’d never treat one like a possession. Family, and especially fatherhood, had been a recurring thought lately. He glanced at Veronica again. After meeting her, the dreams and thoughts of eventually having children had multiplied tenfold. He’d spent too much time wondering what his and Veronica’s children might look like. Tyler entered the boxing ring at the same time Draken did from the opposite side. The bride stood alone, chained and oblivious next to the auctioneer’s podium. “Watch him,” Snake cautioned in a whisper. “Don’t let him pin you against the ropes. When the official isn’t looking, he’ll hammer you in the kidneys until you bleed to death internally.” “There won’t be any official looking or rules in this match. He can hammer me anywhere he wants.” “You’re right.” Snake inhaled deeply and watched Draken for a few seconds. “Aim for his face then. He values his looks. When he blocks, punch your fist through his belly button.” Tyler nodded. “Right.” “And don’t worry, if he kills you,” he paused and caught Tyler’s gaze, “I’ll take him out one way or another.” Nodding again, Tyler winked. “Thanks, but he isn’t going to kill me.”

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“Is that bold arrogance coming from your cock wanting a regular partner to screw or your logical brain thinking things through clearly because you have some plan in mind?” Snake’s sarcasm was hard to miss. “Both.” Tyler blew out a long breath. “Have you ever seen me lose a fight?” “No.” Snake pegged him with a stare. “Don’t make today the first time.” Tyler clenched his hands into fists. “Draken’s mine.” The auctioneer approached the ring but didn’t enter. From the sideline he announced, “I’ll count to three and you may begin your battle. The first man knocked unconscious loses the competition. The marriage ceremony will commence immediately after the match, if the winning contender so chooses. Are we clear?” They both nodded. The auctioneer took a long step backward. “One…two…three.” Draken immediately lunged forward. Head down, fists up, and a malicious expression stretched over bared teeth, Draken was a formidable enemy. Tyler paused to draw him in closer and took a blow to his side right below his rib cage. Tyler shot his fist upward and connected with Draken’s nose. “Fuck.” Draken growled as blood poured out of one swelling nostril. More blood flew onto the mat beneath their feet, but the sight wasn’t as satisfying as hearing Draken howl in agony from the blow. The hit that Draken had gotten in on Tyler’s side smarted at first, and then something disturbing occurred. The place over his ribcage where Draken’s fist had connected suddenly went dead. The numbness spread down his body sweeping past his hip to settle in his upper thigh. Skin-absorbing neuropoison. Damn it, Draken was such a cheating prick. Tyler backed into the ropes for balance, unsure if his leg would hold him up. If the deadened feeling spread further down past his

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knee to his shin, his leg might give out. One or two more hits to his body and Tyler would be completely numb. Draken’s fist to his face might just knock him out cold in an instant. He fought to keep from sliding to his knee as all sensation left one side of his body. The nanotechnology hidden of his body would be able to neutralize the toxin, eventually. Tyler hoped it would work fast enough to cure him before he succumbed to the effects and went numb from neck to knees. He needed time for his body to identify whatever venom Draken had coated his hands with and to dispatch antibodies to counteract them. Illegal in every spectator sport, Tyler’s vast genetic alterations would have precluded a career in any organized sport, if they’d even been able to determine it for certain. The aspects of his engineered physiology came in very handy at the oddest times. Like today for instance. Draken dabbed his nose on one shoulder leaving behind a smear of dark blood. Raising his bare shiny fists, Draken approached again at a slower pace this time. He must have shielded his fists with a sealant before applying the poison coating. Tyler noticed Draken took care over where he placed his hands. “You’ll pay for that, Blackthorn.” Tyler lifted the shoulder that still had feeling in a single shrug. “I doubt it.” He garnered a lot of satisfaction from the swelling now spreading across Draken’s face. He remained leaning against the ropes and willed his implants to work faster. Unfortunately, his enhanced fighting power would have less impact with his implants trying to cure him. Tyler didn’t bother to glance at Snake, who would only be giving him a disdainful get-your-ass-moving-now look in return. Draken approached again at a slower pace this time. A smile played across his lips. “You feeling okay, Blackthorn? You look a little tired.” Draken took his time probably because he wanted to give the poison the maximum time to spread. An ordinary man, without

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genetic engineering, would at best be staggering trying to stay on his feet or, at the very worst, would be writhing on the ground fighting to breathe. Tyler grinned and leaned away from the ropes. He lunged at Draken and took Snake’s fighting advice. He feigned a left punch to his face, then powered a right fist through Draken’s belly when he blocked. As Draken bent in half from the blow, Tyler pulled back and next sent his fist in an upper cut to Draken’s chin. Unfortunately, on his way backward from the blow, Draken grabbed Tyler’s shoulder with both hands and squeezed. Bastard. Tyler shot his good elbow into the center of Draken’s chest as his shoulder and neck went dead. The venom spread down his back and upper torso with the speed of a hungry brushfire consuming dry grass in a summer blaze. Draken steadied himself and launched at him again. He fisted a hand and powered a punch toward Tyler’s face. Tyler ducked out of the way and blocked the punch with a strike to his forearm. Another blow aimed at his face had Tyler ducking out of the way, but the very tip of Draken’s knuckle brushed his forehead, and immediate dizziness surrounded him. His eyes watered as if acid had splashed his lids. Half blind, Tyler managed a miraculous second punch with his elbow to the same place he’d hit before on Draken’s breastbone. Staggering backward, Draken stumbled and finally lost his footing. He landed on his ass wheezing and coughing. Tyler fell to his knees, his body fighting the fresh batch of poison spreading along his deadening skin. He watched with gratification as Draken sat with his legs spread open on the mat trying to remember how to breathe. “You’re dead.” Draken coughed again and spat blood on the floor of the ring. “You’re wrong.” Tyler shook his head to keep the dizziness at bay and moved off of his knees into a squat balanced on the balls of his

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feet. Draken’s expression was priceless. Tyler knew he expected the match to already be over. Unfortunately, his technology was working far too slowly to counteract all the poison now coursing through his system. It occurred to him that if he hadn’t gone so long without a sexual partner, his implants wouldn’t be fighting so hard to work properly. Required sex was occasionally a big pain in the ass. Draken lifted himself carefully off the mat and gained his feet. He grabbed the rope for balance and hauled himself upright. He turned toward Tyler. “One more punch to your face, and I’ll kill you.” Draken released the rope and stumbled closer, grinning madly as blood leaked from his swollen nose. “Get up.” Snake’s worried whisper carried across the center of the ring to where Tyler squatted gathering his strength. Draken bunched his fists, laughed maniacally, and lunged for Tyler. Moving quickly for a final shot to the head, Draken would certainly knock him out if he connected with his skull. Tyler bowed his head and waited.

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Chapter Five Tyler refused to believe he was about to lose the match and willed his body to work faster to neutralize the poison. Acting like a monk for the past two months had severely weakened his energy reserves. Sex was fuel, and he’d been on a self-enforced diet because of Veronica, ironically enough. Draken was seconds away from delivering a death blow to Tyler’s still dizzy brain. The sultry sound of Veronica’s voice came into his mind without warning. His gut clenched as the vivid memory of their first meeting poured through his mind. The distant echo of her orgasmic moan fed his starving libido. He had to save her. He had to keep her from Draken. The mere thought of that maniac ever touching Veronica sent a searing jolt of anger through his body. From outside the ropes, he heard Snake scream, “Get up, Tyler.” Without warning, his nano-bots kicked in. Powerful thoughts of vengeance filled his mind, and the druggy tranquilized sickness fell away from him like an ice sculpture plunged into a vat of boiling water. His mind suddenly alert, Tyler promptly noted Draken’s position. Hunkering down on the mat, he waited for the perfect time move. Three, two, one. Launch. Tyler shot up to his feet. Surprised, Draken’s eyes widened, but it was too late for him to back off. Tyler grabbed Draken’s forearms before his poisoned fists could come into contact with any part of his head. “How about a taste of your own medicine, asshole.” Grinning with glee, Tyler made Draken punch himself in the face

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twice before pushing him backward out of reach. Draken’s eyes rolled backward and he fell flat on his ass bouncing off the mat once before settling into an unconscious pose. Snake entered the ring and approached quickly. Tyler put a hand up in warning. “Don’t touch me.” “Why?” He slowed and stepped close as he could without touching any skin. “He had neuropoison on his hands. It’s all over me.” Snake nodded once and exited the ring. He came back shortly with a water-soaked tablecloth. Tyler rubbed it over his face and all the places he knew Draken had hit him with his fists. Snake poured more water from a bottle onto the cloth, and Tyler rinsed again before putting his shirt, jacket, and gloves back on. Kraal knelt next to Draken, felt for a pulse, and then tried to revive him. Tyler noticed he took great care to avoid touching Draken’s hands and face. Sending a multitude of dirty looks over the ropes, the rest of the Draken clan looked on from the outside of the ring. Kraal slid a vicious look to Tyler from hooded eyelids. “You should have killed him, Blackthorn. Draken will find you and exact revenge. This isn’t over.” “Yes, it is. I win. Congratulate me. I’m getting married to the woman he’s wanted for years. When your boss wakes up, tell him, ‘Kiss my ass!’ for me, will you?” Kraal bared his teeth and growled before he turned his attention back to Draken. Tyler glanced over at Veronica and sighed. It was time to collect his bride. What happened after they were joined in matrimony, he didn’t know. “Ready to tie the knot, hero?” Snake helped him exit the boxing ring by holding the top ropes open for him to step through. “Yes.” “I assume the reason you were able to overcome the poison is the

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usual reason you can do the amazingly unexpected?” Snake remarked in a low tone as they approached the podium where the auctioneer waited for them. “Yep.” “You are so damned lucky.” Tyler grinned at his friend. “Sometimes.” Snake would never mention his genetic implants out loud. Victor Moorehouse prowled back and forth in front of the podium with a permanent a sneer etched in his tight lipped expression. He stopped abruptly and asked, “So where will Veronica go, a povertystricken chicken farmer in the Midwest?” Tyler smiled cordially and ignored his question. “I have the money ready to transfer for the bid. Do you have the token dowry and honeymoon suite at the hotel prepared?” Moorehouse’s lips pressed so flat, they rolled and folded inward. He grunted once, extracted an envelope from his inner jacket pocket, and threw it overhanded. The envelope bounced off of Tyler’s arm and fell to the floor between them. The bride’s family traditionally set up the honeymoon suite and scheduled the Tiberius scanner representative for the morning after the wedding. The dowry was a token gift package involving either credits available from various stores or the actual hard goods and items needed to set up the newlywed’s first home together. Glancing at his bride, Tyler didn’t even know where she would want to go. The forty-eight-hour timer started the second they left the wedding chapel, directly after the wedding ceremony and a short reception. “I want to see her.” Tyler skewered the auctioneer with a petulant look. “And take those fucking manacles off of her this instant.” The auctioneer gulped once and murmured a quivery, “Of course. As you wish.” He turned, snapped his fingers, and the two guards who’d led her out started unlocking the chains. Veronica visibly shook. Her slender hands trembled as the

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manacles were removed. One of the guards led her over to Tyler. “You may remove the veil temporarily, but it must be put back in place for the ceremony.” “Fine. I just want to ensure this is Veronica.” Tyler put his hands on her shoulders and smoothed the arms of her dress first in an effort to calm her down. She shook harder. Would she remember his touch? Unlikely. Veronica expected Draken to greet her. Tyler lifted the veil expecting to see her beautiful eyes suddenly filled with surprise. Instead, he was met with a blindfold, ear covers, a ball gag separating her lips complete with throat paralyzer to keep her silent. Tyler was about to marry her, but she wouldn’t even know it until afterward the wedding ceremony. Victor Moorehouse was a dead man. **** Veronica wanted to scream. Her final judgment was about to be unfairly thrust upon her. They’d removed the chains and manacles but left the rest of the annoying things in place. The blindfold scratched her lids, and the ear covers made her skin sweat. Worst of all, the ball gag made her jaw ache, not to mention the fact that her voice was paralyzed. Without it, she would have screamed the walls down until her voice gave out. The lengthy wait for the removal of her bindings gnawed at her sanity. The breeze from someone lifting her veil caressed her jaw. Draken was probably checking to make sure she was properly humiliated before taking the final step of tying the nightmarish wedding knot. She vowed to make things as difficult as possible for him once they left the safety of the building. A hauntingly familiar scent lightly wafted beneath her nose. The memory of Tyler slammed unfairly into her mind. He’d been the

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singular and constant good memory on her mind during her endless incarceration. The measure of time ceased to have meaning early into her imprisonment. She wasn’t sure how long she’d spent in confinement with no other human contact. A robot had shown up this morning with a wedding dress and a commercial phase zapper to keep her in line while she dressed for the auction. The veil was replaced, and she was shuffled, sans chains, to yet another unknown destination. More unmarked time passed, and Veronica was certain she would lose her mind if she didn’t get free soon. Her veil was lifted again. She was likely a married woman now. Veronica bowed her head in despair. The leather strap holding the ball gag in place loosened along with the prongs on her throat from the paralyzer. She wouldn’t be able to speak for a few seconds. Once the uncomfortable horrific appliance was removed, Veronica worked her lower jaw back and forth. Those large male fingers caressed her face where the hinge of her jaw ached. Her new husband rubbed her skin tenderly as if trying to massage the pain away. Draken wouldn’t do that. What was going on? The ear covers were removed next. She heard nothing. No voices or gloating. But it would come soon. Draken wouldn’t let an opportunity like this pass. Finally, masculine fingers worked at loosening the tie binding her eyes, and soon the blindfold fell away. She found that she didn’t have the courage to look up quite yet. This was so unfair. Tyler’s seductive voice asked, “May I kiss the bride?” in a low tone which curled around her heart. Veronica lifted her head. She saw an overly large muscular chest first. No. It couldn’t be true. Her mind played cruel tricks from the lengthy incarceration.

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Oh God. Tyler. No. It couldn’t be. She’d gone crazy. What was going on? Veronica glanced up into the beautiful, sincere eyes of Tyler Blackthorn, and her aching, abused mouth fell open in surprise. It was a cruel vision. An unfair mirage of a man she would never see again except in her dreams. Closing her eyes tightly, she shook her head back and forth and opened to the same view as before. “Am I dreaming or is it really you?” She licked her lips. He watched her tongue and said in a low tone, “It’s really me.” “I don’t understand,” she whispered. “It’s simple. Draken and I both bid the maximum wedding auction amount on you, we battled in the ring, and I won the physical match.” Her eyebrows crinkled, “You beat Draken…in a fight?” He grinned. “I told you I’ve never lost.” His eyebrows went up. “My record is solid.” Head tilting as if to point, his gaze also slid to the right. Veronica followed his look across the room to the ring where the physical matches took place. She spotted Draken still sprawled on his back in the center of the boxing ring. She turned to Tyler. “How did you even know I was here?” Tyler leaned in and whispered, “Someone sent me a secret invitation. Was it you?” Veronica shook her head. She’d been locked up tight since her capture. She noted the sour expression on her father’s face and the impatient one on the face of the auctioneer. It must be true. She was saved. The haunting scent of Tyler Blackthorn filled her lungs. He hadn’t moved away after whispering in her ear. Another tantalizing aspect of his closeness was his warmth. “May I kiss you? It’s a tradition, you know.” In the eleventh hour, at the last possible moment and by the only man she’d ever been attracted to, she had been saved. Veronica turned to Tyler and nodded. “Yes. Please.” Tilting her

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head back to receive his kiss, she smiled for the first time in months, ignoring the ache in her jaw from the ball gag. The moment his lips touched hers, she forgot about everything else. Leaning forward to initiate more physical contact, Veronica pressed her body to his, shuddered in bliss, and moaned in delight as his tongue leisurely stroked a warm path inside her mouth. He tightened his embrace and deepened the kiss. Her senses, recently and totally deprived, tried to catch up to the sensory explosion of his insistent mouth. The auctioneer cleared his throat impatiently. Veronica relaxed and would have disengaged, but Tyler anchored her tighter to his frame and continued his sexy oral assault. He slanted his mouth across her lips and stroked the rough texture of his tongue sedately within the confines of her sensitive mouth. Her core moistened, and her senses were so overwhelmed at this unexpected turn, she wanted to shriek and dance at the same time but was too preoccupied with his delectable kiss to initiate any movement. Someone close by chuckled, and Tyler finally broke the sultry kiss. He held her close and pressed chaste kisses to her cheek as if he were loath to let her go. Veronica found the idea endearing and completely unexpected from a mercenary. “Are you ready to leave?” Tyler glanced around the room, and she noticed that she was the only one smiling about the happy event. Draken still wasn’t conscious, and his family all shot her a plethora of nasty looks. “Are we married? Truly?” Creases of concern appeared between his eyebrows but he nodded. “For now. Let’s go on our honeymoon and discuss our future.” “I’d like to speak to my father first?” “I don’t advise it.” “Why?” She searched his eyes for a valid reason. She traditionally refused to ask permission to do anything she pleased. Veronica was a

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slow learner in the fine art of diplomacy. Tyler crossed his thick brawny arms across his chest. In a low tone, he said, “Fine. Go talk to him. But don’t gloat. We aren’t out of here yet. And in case you haven’t noticed, we’re outnumbered.” She stiffened her spine, angry that he had her figured out so quickly, but nodded. It didn’t mean she agreed to his terms. Tyler stepped to the side to allow her to pass. She walked slowly to her sire. The man she hated with all her heart. “You lose.” She promptly gloated. A smile crept over her features, and she hoped Tyler couldn’t hear her words. She’d waited too long to tell her father off. He narrowed his eyes and glanced at Draken still flat on his back and unconscious in the ring. “For now. If the mercenary doesn’t keep you—and he won’t—the authorities will apprehend you soon enough. I’ll have patrols on the look out for you. This isn’t over yet.” “What makes you think he won’t keep me?” “He’s a mercenary for hire. He does what he’s paid to do. He’s here doing someone else’s bidding.” Veronica laughed as if her father’s words had no impact, but they did. Deep down, a niggling of fear took root. Why had Tyler rescued her? She couldn’t pay him. What did he want? What were his ultimate plans for her future? “Perhaps he’s doing my bidding.” Veronica wished that were the truth. “If you were smart—and I know you aren’t—you’d do your level best to consummate this marriage and tie yourself to him.” “Why would you want me to keep him?” Veronica knew her father was only motivated by greed and connections. “He’s deeply affiliated with Charles Huntington. It’s the only reason he wasn’t kicked out on his ass at Valentina’s wedding auction. I’m not foolish enough to believe he wants you beyond the money he’s getting. Huntington’s reputation and high station with the Tiberius Group is the only reason he’s even allowed to attend all the

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wedding auctions that he prowls for women. And the only reason he wasn’t thrown out of today’s match.” Veronica couldn’t help the grin which shaped her mouth. “Regardless. You won’t see me again after today.” “We’ll see about that, won’t we?” A thin smile appeared on her father’s face. “Valentina didn’t do so well with your mercenary, did she?” “I don’t know what you mean?” Veronica frowned. She hadn’t seen the light of day for way too long. She didn’t even know the date. She’d have to catch up on current events. “I got a transmission from Montana yesterday from that man she whored herself to. He said that she’s gone and he’s broke. Can you believe he wanted me to spend my precious dollars to go out and look for her. As if I would. Good riddance to bad rubbish.” “She’s gone?” “Yes,” her father said with a sneer as if explaining something to a simpleton. “Valentina is missing. The pig farmer in Montana managed to lose her after only a few months. He probably refused to pamper her, and she ran away. Law enforcement patrols will catch her if she isn’t already dead and return her eventually. It’s a pity she can’t be returned to me and re-auctioned.” Veronica wanted to growl. Her father was just trying to goad her into a fight. In her calmest voice, she stated with a smile, “I don’t believe you.” He shrugged and sent a narrow-eyed glare to Tyler. “Ask your new mercenary husband. I’m certain he has access to the information.” Veronica turned to look behind her and they stared at Tyler. Her husband frowned from across the room and motioned her to return with the wave of his hand. Veronica held up a finger and motioned him to wait a minute. Her gesture was met with a fiercer frown. “You’ve made your bed with the mercenary, Veronica, now go

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fuck him so you can stay married, because if I ever get the chance to marry you off again…” He trailed off without finishing his sentence, smiled chillingly, and looked toward Draken’s prone form lying in the ring. Veronica gave an involuntary shiver at the implied threat. Her brain worked overtime trying to conceive of a reason Valentina would leave Dylan. She twisted to face Tyler, and a new plan formed in her mind. Perhaps her father was right for once. She had made her bed. It was time to go lie in it. With Tyler. Veronica couldn’t tame the smile, which instantly shaped her mouth at the thought of a real honeymoon with her new mercenary husband. She didn’t know what he wanted as payment for saving her, but perhaps he’d get more than he bargained for with her as his new wife. Mind racing with several scenarios, Veronica crossed the room and slipped her arm through her new husband’s. “I’m ready for that honeymoon you mentioned,” she whispered and snuggled closer. “You’re right. We have lots to talk about.” **** Tyler signed the agreement with Veronica’s angry father standing rigidly beside them. Draken’s family fumed from across the room near the boxing ring. Beside him, never out of arms reach, Veronica stood quietly throughout the signing. She was so beautiful, and he hoped that by rescuing her, he’d been the one to put that serene smile on her seductive lips. She hadn’t let go of him since speaking with her father. He hadn’t heard what they talked about, but Veronica’s stance seemed somehow vindicated. Tyler had no doubt she’d gloated about escaping Draken once again. Tyler couldn’t blame her.

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Draken still decorated the floor of the boxing ring. Kraal caught his eye and slid a thumb across his throat with a grin in the universal sign of impending death. Tyler resisted the urge to flip him off. He merely grinned and anchored Veronica to his side then exited the hostile tempered room. Tyler, Veronica, and Snake left the municipal building and headed for his hastily parked vehicle. Veronica Moorehouse Blackthorn was his thirteenth wife. He didn’t know whether that represented good luck or bad. “Where are we going?” Veronica asked. “To the hotel your father graciously provided as part of the official dowry. It’s even the same room he provided for Valentina and me. However, we checked in, rode the elevator to the top floor, then promptly snuck out the backstairs without even entering the room. This time, I think we should stay. It’s the premium in luxurious accommodations, and it’s already paid for.” Veronica turned to give Snake a quick once over and sent her narrow eyed glare back to him. “Just the two of us, right?” Tyler laughed and nodded. “We’ll drop Snake off on the way.” “You don’t know what you’re missing, sweetness. I’m renowned in the art of seduction,” Snake muttered with a wink and slid into the backseat. Tyler opened the passenger door and held it for her. She picked up the skirt of her long wedding dress and brushed past him to get in the car. Before getting in, she paused and turned her soft face up, capturing his firm attention. “Thank you for this.” He wanted to reassure her that he’d done it for altruistic reasons, but his pride and Snake being within hearing distance changed his mind. “There will be a price, baby doll. I just haven’t decided what it is or how to exact it yet.” Cupping the back of her head one-handed, Tyler pressed his mouth hard over hers in a quick kiss. He released her. She frowned and got in the car. Tyler closed the door and wished he hadn’t just been such a prick. It wasn’t her fault

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that the world in which they lived sucked. He vowed to make nice at the hotel. After dropping Snake off near the Tiberius border, Tyler headed for the snooty hotel where their honeymoon suite awaited. The same hotel clerk from months ago registered them. His disapproving expression was hard to miss, but Tyler knew he wondered at him bringing another “bride” in less than three months to the same honeymoon suite. Veronica was still in her wedding gown as they stood at the front desk. She asked quietly, “I don’t suppose you have any extra clothing packed that I could borrow.” “I don’t have anything packed.” He winked. “Your wedding auction was a spontaneous event, and the truth is, I crashed it.” “I’m shocked that you weren’t on the VIP guest list. I wonder who sent you the invitation.” “The message holder listed Carlotta Helms as the previous recipient.” She nodded. “My father’s cook. Lottie always watched over us girls whenever she could.” Tyler ran a finger down the silky sleeve of her wedding gown. “I’ll send for some things later on. For now, I need to shower off the sweat from the match and Draken’s blood.” Veronica smiled. She crossed her arms and leaned against the check-in desk. “I would have loved to have seen the fight.” A part of him wished she’d seen it, too. “It was definitely an interesting battle.” “So did he cheat?” Tyler’s eyebrows went up in surprise. “How did you know that?” “I was engaged to him nearly seven years ago. He was a bastard cheater then too. I can’t imagine he’s changed. I heard his fourth wife was accidentally killed the day of Valentina’s wedding. How convenient for him.” “No one is saying it was an accident with the exception of

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Draken’s people and the Tiberius security folks they must have paid off.” Veronica leaned forward suddenly and placed a hand softly on his forearm, which garnered Tyler’s complete attention. She smiled. “I’m glad and so grateful Draken didn’t win this time.” Tyler, entranced by her gratitude, was annoyed when the hotel clerk interrupted them and handed Tyler a hotel key entry card. Frowning, the clerk snapped, “Check out is at eleven in the morning,” in a snotty tone. They rode the elevator to their floor without speaking and strolled arm in arm down the hallway. Once before the assigned room, Tyler unlocked the door and picked her up in his arms. She grabbed his shoulder with one hand and asked, “What in the world are you doing?” “It’s an old tradition. I’ve got to carry you over the threshold.” “Why is that?” Veronica grinned and hugged his neck with one arm. “Some folks say it’s to keep the bride from tripping, which is apparently very bad luck in some circles. Others say that since a woman is often hesitant to give herself to her new husband, he must carry her in so he can trundle her off to the bedroom to have his wicked way with her.” She relaxed in his grasp and slipped her other arm around his neck. “And which reason do you subscribe to?” He squeezed her tight and grinned. “Guess.” Tyler walked them through the door, over the threshold, and toed the door shut behind him. Once inside, he didn’t release her. He liked the feel of her in his arms. His long-deprived libido began a catalogue of all the sexual activity they could accomplish without penetration. It was beyond foolish to believe she’d allow him to do any of it. “You can put me down now.” She winked at him. “I’ll do my best not to trip and fall.” “Not what I’m worried about, baby doll” Tyler clenched her

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tighter, stared deeply into her wide eyes and asked, “Are you going to run?” She cast her gaze down to the floor. “No. The truth is…I don’t have anywhere to go.” He snorted once in obvious amusement. “I don’t believe you. Come with me into the shower. I’m not ready to lose you again quite yet.” Veronica’s eyes widened and the barest blush came up in her cheeks. “What if I promise not to run?” “Why would I believe that?” Tyler wasn’t immune to her charm and knew she’d be hard to hold if she didn’t want to stay. “I’m trustworthy.” “Is that so?” Sliding her to the ground so she could gain her balance, he asked, “Can you guess how long I waited for you at the Overton Warehouse two months ago?” Flushing a deep red color this time, she shrugged her lovely shoulders, “If the search-bots hadn’t caught me the day before…” She gazed into his eyes. “I would have been there. I’m sorry you got stood up.” He focused in on her luscious mouth. “I forgive you.” “Has it really been two whole months?” At his nod, she added, “I thought about you while in my unexpected captivity.” “When I opened my eyes at the auction today, I thought you were a hallucination I’d dreamed up.” Her stare made him uncomfortable. The thoughts running through his head were nowhere near the gentlemanly kind he should be exhibiting. “Do you know where you want to go? Where I can take you that’s out of your father’s reach and is with in two day’s travel?” She sighed deeply and then shrugged. “I’ll have to leave town so perhaps it would be best if I went to stay in Montana near my sister. Surely there are men looking for wives there.” His stomach sunk to the floor at the thought of giving her up to another man, but he nodded and forced a smile. “As soon as I get out

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of the shower, we’ll make plans. You don’t need to run. I’ll help you.” “Thank you.” Tyler left her in the living area and went into the bedroom. He removed his clothes quickly glancing more than once at the huge king-size bed. There were so many things they could do without making this marriage permanent. He wondered if she were interested in experimenting. If she didn’t disappear while he was showering, he’d ask. He rinsed off as quickly as possible to ensure the poison from the fight was completely gone, but took the time to soap up a second time. He didn’t want to take any chances of residual poison lingering on his skin. Head bent under the steamy hot pressure of the water, Tyler contemplated his future. Would she consider staying with him permanently? After his lengthy clean up, Tyler didn’t expect Veronica to be in residence when he entered the room. Wearing only his slacks and no shirt, he strolled through the bedroom, past the bed he wouldn’t be using, and toward the main part of the bridal suite. Surprisingly, she remained. Pausing to rest a shoulder on the doorframe, he watched his captivating new bride. Dressed in a very plain white wedding gown, Veronica was a vision. Earlier, when he’d removed her veil after the ceremony, her soft blonde hair had been pulled up into a twist. However, now it trailed down her back in lovely waves. He ached to touch the softness of her lovely hair again. The truth was he ached to touch her everywhere. In the shower, he had mulled over what to say if she remained in the suite once he finished. Months ago, he’d prepared a speech for the scheduled meet at the Overton Warehouse, which he’d promptly crumpled and set fire to when she hadn’t shown up. It had been a foolish quest for a relationship he wasn’t sure she would have wanted anyway. Watching her, Tyler knew his feelings, whatever they were,

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hadn’t dimmed with time. Veronica flipped her hair over one shoulder and caught him staring. Her surprised smile sent a wave of longing through his weary heart. She stood near a cart with a large fruit basket filled with exotic dried fruits and various hard-to-get candies. Next to it was another basket with a bottle of wine and two glasses. “Look what my father forgot to cancel for the room.” She grinned and held up the already-open bottle of wine by its neck so he could see the label. “Pricey.” Tyler smiled knowing the elaborate baskets had surely been intended to impress Draken. “Would you like to have a glass to celebrate my narrow escape from certain death?” “Sure.” He laughed. “Anything else you want to toast?” Tyler approached her slowly. A lovely blush stained her cheeks and he noticed for the first time that she looked very nervous. “No. But I’d like to practice kissing again. Would that be okay?” Tyler’s heart skipped a beat at her shy request. He couldn’t wait to kiss her again. “Of course.” He moved to within arms reach of where she stood near the dining table. She tipped the bottle over the edge and splashed wine into the bottom of the glass. “Let’s toast, first.” After filling the glass nearly full, she offered it to him putting the flute between them as if deflecting him from coming closer. The oddity of the situation made a smile form. Hadn’t she just asked him for a kiss? Perhaps she was nervous. He was her lawful husband for the time being. Technically, he could do anything he wanted with her. Anything at all. He let the words anything at all roll around in his brain as various sexual positions floated through his mind and raised his voracious libido into the red zone. His libido needed to get a hold of

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itself and calm down. With Veronica anxious to get to Montana to be with her sister, it was unlikely he’d need to review any sexual positions for tonight’s honeymoon. And that was a shame since sex was the single thing he needed most to heal himself quickly right now. After his battle with Draken, he’d used up his limited stores of strength. Sex and especially orgasms from his partner helped recharged him, but he hadn’t been horizontal with a woman in months. He figured he needed at the least a long weekend of repeated sexual encounters to build himself up to top form. Currently, he was running on empty. Tyler didn’t expect that Veronica would want to help charge him up given that the forty-eight hour consummation issue stood between them. He’d have to turn her over to some other man once they reached Montana. He wondered if she had someone picked out already, and the thought made him ill. The luxurious honeymoon suite of the most exclusive hotel in town wasn’t the place he wanted to spend the night with a beautiful woman he couldn’t have. Taking a deep breath, Tyler smiled and accepted the large glass from his latest temporary wife. He glanced at the dark red liquid filled to the brim and grinned. “Are you trying to get me drunk?” Without missing a beat, Veronica blurted, “Do you remember the night before you married my sister?” He coughed into one hand to allay his surprise, managed not to spill his wine, and pegged her with a penetrating gaze. “Vividly.” A day hadn’t gone by since he’d met her when he didn’t remember that night. He’d touched her, made her come, and felt the energy charge all the way to his soul. He’d then licked the musky flavor of her climax from his fingers before foolishly leaving her alone to escape into the night. It had been the last time he’d charged up without medication. Her eyes narrowed. “Really?”

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“Yes, really,” he responded with a grin. He wanted her so desperately he knew he’d only torture himself if he stayed the night. Soon, he’d leave and find another place to sleep. They needed to discuss her immediate future. Removing himself from tonight’s temptation was truly the only way for this arrangement to remain temporary. Tyler nodded and watched her process his response. Did she believe he did that with every woman he met? Because he didn’t. He’d never touched any of the women he’d married. She’d been the first woman in a very long time to share such an intimacy with him. She’d also been the last woman he’d caressed in such a personal manner. “As a matter of fact, I rarely kiss the women I marry.” Confusion registered. “But you kissed me today.” He tilted his head to one side and smiled. “I asked first.” “You kissed me the night before Valentina’s wedding, too.” He shrugged. “I wasn’t marrying you then.” “You knew it wasn’t me as soon as I came into the room, didn’t you?” Tyler grinned. “Yep. I researched your sister, your family, and you, prior to taking the job.” The candid file photo of her standing on the porch of her father’s house slid into his mind. Along with it came the list of sexual acts not requiring any penetration. He mentally shook it off. She probably wasn’t interested, and it was all he could do to stay on his feet anyway. Given his celibate life over the past several months, it was a wonder he’d beaten Draken. At the very least, he needed to sleep for quite a few hours so he could function. “Did you kiss Valentina?” she whispered. He nodded. Her eyes widened until he said, “On the forehead.” Veronica’s sudden unchecked smile at learning he hadn’t kissed her sister on the mouth warmed him. He hadn’t kissed Valentina on the lips. Tyler remembered that

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Veronica had looked away as he’d kissed her sister’s forehead. And until today, he hadn’t been married to anyone else since he’d met her. The requests for his unique services were shuttled to the other men in his business for various reasons, but the true reason stood before him now. The frequent opportunities he’d had for sex in the past couple of months after Veronica disappeared were never as appealing as simply waiting for her to surface. He had told himself he was merely allowing the anticipation to build. But now that they had married, and were bound under Tiberius law, their relationship possibilities were decidedly different. He’d never found out where she had been after running away from her father’s home almost seven years before, but suspected she operated well away from Tiberius laws and rules. When he’d sent her the note, he’d hoped for a possible relationship. He hadn’t planned on marriage at the time. But the thought of being married permanently to Veronica was not at all unappealing. Tyler had sent out several feelers into the underworld where he operated his business looking for her. He used medication to quell his sexual urges for the first time in quite a while until he could find her again. It was too bad she wanted to go to Montana to be with her sister. After staring at him for several seconds she finally nodded and reached for the other glass. She filled it half way and placed the wine bottle on the table. “What else shall we drink to?” Tyler inhaled deeply and looked at the ceiling. He wanted to drink to lust and sex and sweep her up into the bedroom with the huge bed and make love to her repeatedly until dawn. That was not likely to happen. He dropped his gaze to her question-filled eyes. “How about to long awaited friendships?”

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Veronica cocked her head to one side. “Friendships? That’s not very romantic.” Tyler laughed out loud and moved closer. Perhaps his original unspoken toast had been more accurate than he’d imagined. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know you were looking for romance.” Her beautiful eyes widened, and she shook her head. “I…I’m not. I just meant…” “How about we drink to new and interesting beginnings?” He closed the gap between them and held his glass to one side aloft so he could get closer. Her luscious scent permeated his lungs. Veronica’s cheeks blossomed with pink and he swore he could smell her arousal. She was hard to resist. He didn’t want to resist her any longer. Leaning only his torso forward, he planted a quick kiss on her lovely mouth before she apparently expected it. She sucked in a surprised breath as he withdrew. “To new and interesting beginnings.” He touched his glass to hers with a light, high-pitched clink. Color suffused her face again giving her a deeper blush as a smile lifted her mouth. She repeated his toast in a quiet voice and quickly put her glass to her ruby lips to sip the wine. Tyler drank half his glass for courage in the coming night before noticing that the deep red merlot tasted slightly off.

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Chapter Six Veronica pretended to sip her wine and watched Tyler suck his first glass down quickly. Good. Her new plan had begun. The drugs she knew laced the wine would ensure his cooperation for the rest of tonight’s festivities. She recognized the two baskets as being from Valentina’s wedding night. Her cheap father wouldn’t put any expense into making new ones when he had perfectly good leftovers that would do the job. And this bit of information worked to her advantage perfectly. Carlotta, the cook in her father’s household, had confided to Veronica that the wine in Valentina’s honeymoon basket had been altered with a special blend of drugs in order to help Brant relax and perform. She wondered if her father had remembered the specially doctored wine. Draken would have already consummated the marriage before leaving the chapel. He’d told her a month before she ran away from home that his fantasy was to fuck her while the family waited for them to arrive at the reception. He’d told her not to bother wearing any underwear so his consummation would be faster. If Draken had bothered to drink the spiked wine, it only would have made him hard again and worse for her. Valentina’s original intended, Brant, apparently had a little erectile problem, and the wine had been doctored with drugs to ensure the marriage was consummated properly. Lottie had over heard this important information during the negotiations between her father and Brant’s father pre-wedding. Now this doctored wine would assist her tonight instead of

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terrifying her. Veronica’s previous wedding night plan had been to escape Draken and run for her life if and when the opportunity presented itself. It now shifted to one of get Tyler drunk and take advantage of him as quickly as possible so he could help her look for Valentina. The drugs laced in the wine had been established according to Brant’s weight. Veronica guessed that to get Tyler drugged, he’d have to drink the whole bottle. Tyler was decidedly bigger than Brant, so the drugs would certainly impact him in a much different way. She didn’t want him to make him suffer from a drug hangover tomorrow, but getting her new luscious husband drunk and taking advantage of him was her primary goal. In fact, it was imperative. A thrill ran down her spine at what her plans entailed. She glanced at the clock ticking on the wall. A few more minutes of small talk, and he would be lulled into the foggy stupor of suggestibility drugs. At any moment, the erectile drugs would also take hold. She’d lead him into the bedroom and recommend that he have sex with her. She hoped he was as interested in having sex with her as his glances implied, otherwise the suggestibility drugs wouldn’t work. No one could make someone commit murder for example, if one weren’t already willing to do it. Tyler held up his glass and stared at the remaining contents. “Does your wine taste okay?” Veronica choked. “Yes. It’s very good. Here, have some more.” She grabbed the bottle and turned to fill his glass to the brim again. “You are trying to get me drunk.” He winked, smiled, and then promptly downed the glass of wine completely. “Why would I?” She forced a laugh and filled his glass again. Tyler held the glass by the stem and swirled the wine around before downing the third glass. He shrugged. “If you’re trying to make sure I don’t do anything ungentlemanly—” “You’re a mercenary. Why would I ever believe you’d be ungentlemanly?” She deadpanned her joke, then twisted away to

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compose her face. The impact he had on her was distracting. Decidedly delicious, she needed her wits about her. He wasn’t succumbing to the drugs fast enough. After the first glass, he should have already started getting lightheaded. His sudden boisterous laugh caught her off guard. Veronica looked over one shoulder and saw Tyler suddenly sway on his feet and stumbled backward a step or two. He rested his hips against the back of the sofa as if trying to find his balance. “Good one.” His grin was very wide. His eyes were very bright. “I guess you’re right. A standard, run-of-the-mill mercenary would have a bad reputation.” She smiled. Finally, the drugs were working. “Exactly. A girl can’t be too careful.” The bottle was nearly empty, yet it still felt very heavy in her hand as she approached her soon-to-be permanent husband and filled his glass with the remaining wine. She placed the empty bottle on the table next to the sofa and watched him drink the glass in one long swallow. That should have put him under the table, but perhaps he was heavier than she guessed. Lord knew he sported enough weight with all those rippling muscles. A burning ache grew deep within her core as the audacity of what she planned coursed through her brain. She was about to lure a mercenary into a sexual relationship. One he likely wouldn’t want to have participated in come morning. Veronica sipped her half glass for courage and inched closer to Tyler. She suppressed the raging urge to flit around the room well away from his magnetic presence. Memories of the first time she’d landed in his personal space danced with her wicked libido. The mere thought of Tyler putting his hands anywhere on her skin made her want to melt at his feet. She hated that he had such an effect on her deprived libido. His singular appeal tested her ability to remain aloof. Until Tyler, there had never been a man who made her giddy with just a look. He made her down right flighty. He caused her heart to melt with every single

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smile and Veronica was never so emotional as when she was in his immediate presence. He watched her as a smile played around his mouth. Was that smile sexual in nature, she wondered? Duh. Of course it was. He’d consumed nearly an entire bottle of wine laced with drugs to make suggestibility easy. She was amazed he remained on his feet. He was a big man and surely it took longer to reach a certain level of intoxication. She could wait. She hoped. A grin formed splitting his beautiful lips, and the rush of secret desire she harbored for him nearly made her drop her wine glass to leap onto his muscular frame and devour him whole. What she needed to do was calm down or he’d suspect she was up to something. Shifting from one foot to the other as she danced closer didn’t inspire calmness. Whatever limited acting abilities she possessed, she needed them front and center for tonight’s activities. She took a deep internal breath to calm herself. Too bad the clean, recently showered masculine scent came with it. Veronica was about to make a long-envisioned dream come true, as well as secure her future plans. With Tyler drunk and drugged with a popular relaxation hypnotic, he simply couldn’t stop her. It was imperative to her plan that she consummate this marriage in the allotted forty-eight hours. With the help of the mood-altering depressant with suggestibility features and Captain V, the most powerful erectile dysfunction drug, now circulating Tyler’s system, she expected easy cooperation from her new husband during their first night as man and wife. Any moment now, he’d be drunk on his ass, drugged to the gills and sporting a very impressive hard-on to assist with her seduction plan. She just hoped he wouldn’t kill her in the morning when he discovered what she’d done. She’d beg him to help her find Valentina. Once that goal was completed, she’d have to hide from him for the next three years until their marriage was void.

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Or she’d have to find a way to disappear. However, after making him a permanent husband, he would have to produce her body to get married again within the next three years. Not very fair to him given his current occupation. Veronica shook her head. She didn’t often concern herself with what was fair to men. There was something about Tyler that tugged at a place in her soul. She suspected that they had much more in common than even he knew about. Considering any sort of permanent life with him was madness. And it wasn’t that he was the enemy exactly, but close enough to keep her wary. “Tyler?” He had been looking intently at the carpet, but he turned a glassyeyed stare her way and smiled serenely. “Are you tired?” His question came out a little slurred. He was succumbing to the drugs. Perhaps she should distract him with a kiss. Or maybe it would be a good idea to get into the bedroom. He was so big. She’d hate to have to drag him there if he collapsed out here. “Yes. Why don’t we go to bed?” She tugged at his hand to pull him from leaning on the sofa. He rose on unsteady legs. “Okay.” Veronica wrapped her arm around his solid waist and his furnacelike heat pervaded her body. God, he was hot. “Do you hate me, Tyler? I broke all your rules the last time we were together.” “No. I don’t hate you. You’re beautiful.” He smiled and leaned on her heavily. She steered him into the bedroom, but paused in her step at the word “beautiful.” What a sweet thing to say. “Thank you.” The other benefit to the suggestibility drug beyond coercing him into having sex was that she could also ask him questions and find out all sorts of things about his private life. The best part being that he’d never remember in the morning. “Weren’t we supposed to kiss?” he asked and crushed his body

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against hers so hard that she had to use all the strength in her legs to keep them on track for the bedroom. “Yes. Let’s get into bed, and then we can kiss all you want, okay?” “Sure.” They stumbled through the doorway to the bedroom. The bed was situated against the wall opposite the door, and she steered him to the bench seat at the foot of the huge king-sized bed. Dressed only in his slacks after the earlier shower, Veronica was glad he was mostly undressed already. She reached around to try and unzip her dress and realized it would take his help. “Help me get undressed, okay.” She told him. “Okay.” She turned her back to him. “See the zipper at the top? Just pull it down.” His hands grazed her shoulders and soon fumbled at the neck of the dress. After several taps along her shoulders and a few massaging attempts, Veronica finally heard the buzz of the zipper from neck to ass. “Thanks.” She whipped around to see how he was doing. “Let’s get you out of those pants.” His gaze narrowed and he looked down at his slacks. Veronica bent to undo his trousers and the front of her dress fell forward. Putting a hand to her breasts to keep covered, she stood quickly and watched Tyler. He merely grinned at her. “Can you do it?” She asked. Tyler nodded, reached down, undid his pants, and slid them off his hips, taking his underwear with it. His cock, which was enormous, sprang forward from the base of a dark nest of hair. Veronica stifled a needy gasp from escaping. This was about to be the single most amazing sexual experience she’d ever participated in. She couldn’t wait. Guilt tugged at her conscience. He’d saved her life literally. He

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didn’t deserve to be tricked this way and trapped for three years, but Veronica was desperate and she knew that she could always disappear later. She’d do her best to ensure that Tyler didn’t have to suffer a permanent wife for the whole of three years. There were other options available for a price and a little expensive illegal paperwork. “Do you want to have sex with me, Tyler?” Veronica released her hand from her chest, and the dress slipped off her shoulders. “Yes. I want to have sex with you.” He took a step closer to where she was and put his hands on her shoulders. “You’re beautiful.” The silky white dress slipped down her arms until her breasts were revealed. She kicked her shoes aside and tugged off the dress, leaving only the thin barrier of her panties standing between them. She found she wasn’t quite ready to remove her last chance to change her mind. “Let’s get on the bed.” Veronica grabbed his hands and pulled him to the side of the bed. She released him long enough to drag the covers down to the footboard. Tyler fell backward onto the mattress with a deep sigh. His eyes drifted shut until she climbed on top of him. “Don’t go to sleep yet,” she murmured and shifted herself over his luscious naked body until she straddled him. “You promised to kiss me, remember?” Eyes open again, he studied her breasts as his hands slid from her knees to her hips and stroked her thighs gently along the way. “Yes. We should kiss.” His thick, erect cock was wedged between her legs in the most delicious way. Separated only by the thin wet material of her underwear, the length of him teased her sex and moistened her core to the point she expected her panties to dissolve. “Will you kiss me now?” He nodded and smiled. Veronica bent at the waist, the tips of her nipples grazing the crisp springy hair on his chest, making them even harder.

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Tracing his lower lip with the tip of her tongue, she pressed her lips to his in a soft tender kiss. She quelled the sudden urge to impale herself on him and ride until she was satisfied. She needed to go slowly and to ensure his cooperation. One thing she knew for sure was that she wasn’t leaving this room until they were permanently married. “I'd better take my panties off.” Veronica lifted to her knees breaking the delicious warm connection and slid off the bed. He didn’t move, but his eyes drifted shut again. She quickly divested herself of her underwear and then leaned over the bed to take the tip of his cock into her mouth. That made his eyes open again, and an appreciative-sounding groan escaped his lips. Veronica released his cock, then climbed between his legs straddled him again. This time her drenched lower lips pressed against his thick erection. The hot, velvet feel of him sent electric vibrations up and into her core. Fixing a gaze on him she asked, “Will you put your hands on my breasts and kiss my nipples, Tyler?” His smile was guileless as he complied with her request. His large hands covered her breasts first, and a breath escaped her lips at the utter sexiness of this situation. She wanted him so desperately that it was sheer willpower holding back her need to impale him. “Can we have sex now, Tyler? I want you so much I can’t wait any longer.” That was the truth. “You’re so beautiful. I want you.” “Say my name. Say ‘Veronica’.” “Veronica,” he pinched the tips of her nipples deliciously as her he uttered her name in a whispered seductive tone. “I want you, Veronica.” She lowered one breast to his waiting mouth, and he latched onto it without being told. His warm mouth sucking hard on her nipple almost made her release. A stab of desire ran down her body, and a gush of wetness coated her lower lips in readiness for her ultimate

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goal. Pulling her breast away from his mouth was hard to do, but she needed to shift so that his cock was positioned at the entrance to her body. One solid thrust until he was embedded as deeply as possible was what she craved. Poised to impale herself, she caught his eye and whispered, “I won’t let you regret this, Tyler. I promise.” Veronica closed her eyes and shot her hips downward until his cock was buried all the way to her womb. He groaned, and his hips flinched and rocked, sending his dick even deeper within stretching her vaginal walls to their very limit of constraint. “Feels good,” he murmured and delicately caressed her nipples. “Ohmigod, it feels great,” Veronica managed to utter. She moved her hips up and down slowly trying to accommodate his wide cock between the slick walls of her very content pussy. Her goal was to make him come, repeatedly. In the morning, his DNA would drench her core. She couldn’t wait. Each stroke sent a shiver of blissful sensation through her body. Her climax was not needed, but it was building anyway. His massive cock gave a whole new meaning to the word pleasure in her vocabulary. Veronica found a rhythm, riding him slowly at first then with increasing speed. Her heightened libido cried out for release as the tip of his cock massaged her womb. She was on the verge of orgasm. She reached a hand between them to rub her clit, unable to stop her desire to climax. The minor pressure of a single finger sent her over the edge, and she shrieked in pleasure. Arching backward, Tyler kept his hands on her breasts, stroking her nipples with his thumbs while the release overwhelmed her. Tyler groaned as her internal muscles clamped around his erect cock still pumping in and out. Three strokes later, his shoulders came up off of the bed, and he roared a long and deep growl. The hot spurt of his climax completed her goal in the most blissful and permanent

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way. This incredible man was hers. Tears of gratitude erupted from her eyes before she could stop it. Emotional response was an alien concept in her hard life, however Tyler had a mystical impact with regard to her dispassionate objective. Veronica collapsed on his chest in a satiated heap breathing fast and hard as her conflicted emotions conspired to make her weepy. “Thank you. Thank you, Tyler. That was so perfect. I’ve dreamed about this since the first time we met.” She sniffed and tried to get a grip on herself. She didn’t know why she was so moved to tears, but couldn’t stop the flow for a few minutes. Her warm tears leaked out onto his neck. He didn’t speak or seem to notice her emotional outburst. Of course not, he was drugged. His hands clamped around her back hugging her to his chest. The steady pounding of his heart against her ear lulled her into a restful silence. “I’d probably be dead by now if you hadn’t come and fought for me.” Veronica hadn’t meant to speak her thoughts out loud, but knew it didn’t matter. He’d never remember anything she said tomorrow anyway. “I’ve never met anyone like you. I’ve thought about you every day since we met in that crappy motel.” She could confess a whole host of sins tonight. Maybe it would be cathartic for her to unload all the crap she’d hid about her past. “You’ll be furious in the morning. And you’ll have every right to be, but I swear I’ll make it right.” She kissed his collarbone. “I’ll make it right,” she echoed. Tyler’s cock was still lodged deeply her body. He hadn’t shrunk down, and a panicked thought occurred to her. He’d climaxed, hadn’t he? Then again, maybe the drugs kept him hard regardless of what he did. Was the moisture she felt inside hers only? She shifted her hips and sighed at the lovely curl of desire it wrought from within. Veronica lifted up to see if he was awake. His eyes were open, but his face was blank, and he seemed to be focused over her shoulder in the distance.

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“Tyler?” His unwary gaze shifted to her face, but he remained silent. “Are you okay?” He smiled and nodded. “I feel good.” “Me, too. Want to do it again?” “Yes.” Veronica tilted to one side and pulled at his shoulders. “This time you get on top.” Still intimately connected, Tyler rolled them to one side. He came over her in the next, and she trembled at the idea of more amazing sexual experiences. Slipping her legs around the backs of his thighs, she kept him wedged in place. She slid her arms around his neck, and kissed one smooth shoulder. She ran her fingertips over his muscular back and found a raised scar above one shoulder blade. Its grainy texture felt a lot like a scar she bore on her thigh beneath her left butt cheek. Her scar wasn’t from a wound, but from the removal of an abhorrent tattoo. The price of a lesson learned too late. Veronica brushed her fingers over Tyler’s scar again, wondering if it was from the removal of a tattoo. What could it have said? Perhaps he’d had a woman’s name removed. The thought depressed her. The sensuous, slow drive of his cock within her body brought her out of her reverie. The amazing friction from the angle he used built another climax quickly. He was an amazing lover even in this inebriated and drugged state. Resting on his elbows, Tyler gazed into her eyes and made love to her slowly, pushing and retreating in a steady rhythm until Veronica wanted to scream in climax again. “I want you to come, Tyler. Keep going until you come. Do you understand?” “Yes.” He pumped at a faster pace, and without warning, Veronica released in a spectacular, vivid groan. Waves of unexpected

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electric sensation surrounded her as the sounds and smells of sexual activity immersed her in ecstasy. Her body vibrated in pleasure. Tyler continued pressing deeply as the grip of her vaginal walls tightened around him from her climax. She kissed his cheek and burrowed her face into his neck in an uncharacteristic affectionate gesture. She wasn’t typically so moved by anything. This man had a visceral impact on her soul that she couldn’t explain. He grunted lightly and pierced her pussy deeply one last time. He shuddered against her, and another warm sensation registered inside her satisfied body. He collapsed on top of her in the next second. Veronica hugged him tight and made a mental log of all the fabulous sensations coursing through her body. She knew she’d relish this memory for a long time. Perhaps forever. Kissing his neck in gratitude, Veronica loosened her grip and stroked his lean, muscular back with soft fingertips, unable to stop touching him. Sprawled across her as his dick finally began to soften, Tyler was an addiction to her unguarded senses. His steady breathing signaled that he’d likely dozed off. Veronica took a deep breath as conflicted emotions made their way into her gratified soul. Tyler Blackthorn, the best security money could buy and mercenary extraordinaire, was all hers. She wished she could keep him as the musky scent of their enthusiastic lovemaking assaulted her nose with pungent clarity. The whole room smelled like sex. A grin started to shape her lips until she realized he might notice the spicy scent of their carnal activities in the morning and ask questions. Veronica shifted beneath him. “Tyler? We need to get up.” “Get up?” he murmured with curiosity in his tone, but didn’t move. “Let’s get in the shower.”

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He leaned up on elbows, his sleepy, half-closed eyes would have been irresistible and she wasn’t unaffected, but she knew a shower would help remove the perspiration clinging deliciously to their bodies. She kissed his lips lightly unable to resist. “Shower?” He lifted enough that she slid from beneath him and off the edge of the bed. Grabbing his hand, she coaxed him into joining her in the bathroom. The accommodations were very luxurious here too. A wide twoperson shower was tucked in the corner of the sizeable room. She pulled him inside the half-glass, half-tile enclosure and had the twin jets steaming the space in no time. Tyler, arms crossed and eyes closed, leaned a shoulder and the side of his head against one tiled wall, and seemed content to nap until the water warmed. Veronica had so many questions. Starting with why had he come for her in the first place and ending with would he kill her once he learned they were permanently attached. “Tyler? Why did you come to the auction for me?” His eyes popped open with a glassy stare, but the sleepy gaze narrowed as if he didn’t understand. The drugs made him compliant, but the questions had to usually be of the yes or no variety for ease of understanding. Occasionally, a one- or two-word answer could be gained if the question was simple enough. “Did you want to find me again?” Lifting his head slowly away from the tile, he inhaled a breath as if trying to stay awake. “Yes. I wanted to see you.” Veronica longed to ask if he’d be furious over the permanent arrangement, but didn’t want to take a chance that he’d remember in the morning. She moved to the personal questions she had. “Am I your first permanent wife?” She ducked under the shower’s warm spray and eased her head back to let the water splash down her body. “No.”

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Veronica’s head snapped forward. “You had another wife? When?” His brows furrowed. “Katherine…was a long time ago.” “What happened to her?” “She died.” His eyes closed, and the expression on his face was one of distaste. “How did she die?” “She got shot.” Oh God! “Did you shoot her?” Veronica watched as he opened his eyes slowly. She stilled her breathing as she waited for his answer. After staring at each other for several long seconds, his eyes closed again. He didn’t respond. Veronica decided question-and-answer period was over for now. She should have considered that she might not want to know the answers before asking such personal questions. Her nearly nonexistent feminine side wanted to know if there was someone in his past he held a torch for or a special girl in his present. Was Katherine the name formerly tattooed below his shoulder blade? Had he removed it because he loved her so much or because he killed her. Veronica didn’t want to find out he’d killed his first wife in a rage over some perceived slight. Like what had happened to my older sister Victoria. Veronica soaped them up quickly and rinsed them off. He didn’t stop her, but he didn’t help much either. She got him dried off and back in bed. He sported a healthy erection once beneath the sheets, and while she would have loved to act on it, she figured it would be better to just sleep. Twisting to one side, Veronica rested her head on Tyler’s shoulder, slung an arm over his chest and snuggled close to his warmth. He wrapped an arm around her back and she felt comforted and safe for the first time in a long while. Once she drifted off, her dreams were troubled. Memories of her

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older sister’s death mingled with the unknown facts of Valentina’s disappearance. That she didn’t want to bury another sister motivated Veronica.

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Chapter Seven Tyler woke quickly after a much needed sleep. He hadn’t dreamed, surprising given how much excitement yesterday had contained. He opened his eyes and sensed his “new wife” snuggled very close to him on the bed. Had she slept here all night cuddled close? Interesting. Shaking off his morning fatigue, he inhaled deeply to help his mind start working. Most mornings, he woke and leaped out of bed before his alarm sounded. Today was different. The general stress to his body combined with the substantial amount of wine he’d consumed the night before should have made him sluggish and achy at best this morning. Nanotechnology could only accomplish so much without renewal. After he’d gone without sex for so long, he’d overused his abilities on Draken during the fight. And after abusing his implants to fight, he really should have a splitting headache from all the alcohol he’d drank the night before. He sifted through his memories from last night with Veronica and smiled. His body was charged up, feeling no pain, and it was all thanks to his new permanent wife. He’d have to stay on his toes not to give away the fact that he’d been completely coherent after drinking that spiked wine. Veronica Moorehouse Blackthorn stirred in her sleep while her husband of one day turned his head and watched. She was absolutely the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. Tall, blonde, lithe, lean, and when her light green eyes were open, they exuded a street-smart aura that without a doubt she’d acquired

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from hard-won experience. Something about her and no other compelled his deep need to pursue. Something primal. Tyler hadn’t planned on permanent marriage, but now that Veronica was his wife, he found the prospect of a life with her very appealing. He wondered what her plan was and the thought made him grin. She obviously had a plan. Given that they weren’t supposed to sleep together during the first forty-eight-hour period of marriage if they wanted the wedding to remain temporary, he’d expected Veronica to be as far away from him as possible. Tyler longed to touch her, but knew that she’d likely wake if he did. He wasn’t finished staring at his bride’s restful body quite yet. She slumbered peacefully snuggled on her stomach tucked very close beside him. The sheet covering them crossed the middle of her back and barely covered his cock. A thick lock of her long blonde hair rested on his shoulder. The softness of it caressing his skin made him want to run his hands through the rest of the mass of waves spread across her back. Beneath the sheet, he became aware of another interesting fact. Her knee and part of her thigh rested over a substantial part of his inner upper leg, and the intimate skin-to-skin connection warmed his groin unexpectedly. Her silken flesh rested heavily against his conscience. He shouldn’t want her so desperately. But he did. Morning wood wasn’t uncommon, but with her sleek naked leg intimately connected with his, he wondered if his cock would recede on its own or need the ultimate stimulation to finally deflate. Did she have any clothes on at all? Hard to tell with all that golden hair strewn about. Slowly, he slid one hand down to stroke her leg and sandwiched the soft limb between his roving palm and his warming thigh. He rubbed her knee. She stirred again, and a soft sigh escaped from her lips, which made his dick even harder. Wondering what it would take

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to wake her up, he sent his hand higher up her leg. Twisting his upper torso carefully to accommodate a farther reach, he leaned his head on his free hand and watched her face as his fingers roamed. His fingertips slid between her legs and niggled between soft, wet pussy lips. She didn’t open her eyes until he secured his hand against her mound and stuck his thumb inside her slick sheath. He froze in place momentarily and watched a myriad of expressions cross her face. Sleepy. Awake. Surprise. Veronica gripped his forearm, but didn’t try to remove it from between her legs. He stroked his thumb across her slippery wet clit, and she sucked in a short, shocked breath. Veronica’s beautiful sleepy eyes fixed on his face. “What are you doing?” “Trying something new to see if I could wake you up.” He grinned. “It worked.” She swallowed hard, and her eyes drifted closed. Relaxing her face into the pillow, she sighed. “It feels so good.” He wasn’t certain if she was completely awake. Tyler slid his thumb across her clit, slowly rubbing the nub a few more times. She moaned. His cock came to full attention. He leaned in and whispered, “I want to make you come.” Her eyes opened halfway again. A mischievous smile appeared on her lips, and she nodded. “I won’t stop you.” In unison and without further conversation, they shifted beneath the sheet. She rolled to her back and spread her legs apart. He pushed the sheet down and determined for certain she was completely undressed when her bare breasts were revealed. He lowered his head and licked one distended nipple before he sucked the wet tip into his mouth. His hand slipped between her legs again. Veronica arched with a long sigh and lifted her torso to aid his attention to her nipple as her hips pushed against his hand resting on her mound. She was already dripping wet so he resumed stroking her clit with his thumb. One by one, he penetrated her with his first two

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fingers. The entire world around him fell away. Focused on hearing her breathy cries of arousal, he felt his cock twitch against her thigh, wanting desperately to replace his fingers inside her warm, wet body. But that wouldn’t happen. It couldn’t. He was certain she wouldn’t allow it. Not in the light of day, at least not quite yet. They each had a role to play in the arrangement put in motion from the day before. Ultimately, this was her show. His money had paid for her wedding auction, and though she didn’t know it yet, he’d done it for her without expecting he’d be allowed to consummate this marriage. Tyler was prepared to play along to see what she had in store for them. He stifled a smile wondering how she planned to “make things right” between them as she’d passionately expressed last night directly after the best sex he’d ever shared. He should probably confess all to her, but the information regarding his genetic abilities was a secret, too classified to share. At least not before he knew where she’d spent the last seven years of her life and what she’d been doing. Veronica moaned, and Tyler shook off his reverie in favor of making his wife scream in pleasure. He was in her service for a short while with obvious constraints, a restriction that didn’t exclude her imminent orgasm. Her reactions lit a fire in his soul and rejuvenated him with each moan. Once she climaxed, he’d feel it too. It would feed the energy bank of his genetic implants. Sex for fuel. Veronica was the first person in a long time with whom he hadn’t balked at having a live, flesh sexual act versus his usual medication to quench his lust. The delicious treat of her body fed his genetic hunger unlike any synthetic means. Tyler abandoned one breast and kissed his way to the other, latching on to her peaked nipple as she writhed beneath him. Her breathy moaning sent torturous electric pulses of need through his

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body. She was close to release. He could feel it. Her hips pushed into his hand, and he felt the telltale clench of her orgasm begin to grip his fingers. “Ohmigod! Ohmigod, that’s so good,” Veronica cried out. He released her nipple and kissed her mouth. Instantly, her tongue invaded the space between his lips. She grabbed his head with both hands, held his face, and kissed him deeply, savagely as her climax shuddered and rode through her body. Tyler stilled his tremor as the rush of her climax rode through him. Exquisite. Veronica’s passionate response to sex and complete surrender to orgasm was unequaled to any woman he’d ever shared the experience with. After one final tremble, she relaxed against the sheets panting. Her hands slid away from his face. He removed his fingers from her pussy and brought them to his mouth. His final consolation. He licked his fingers as she watched. Her pupils enlarged. “Why do you always do that?” Her breathy voice made his cock swell. “You taste good.” He made no other move to advance on her even though the density of his cock was at the level of titanium steel. His rampant erection jutted up between them, ready, willing, and able for service. Tyler heaved a deep, internal sigh and willed his dick to soften. He suspected that it would be a while before any kind of servicing would take place. Veronica sat up in bed and kissed him again. This time softly with no tongue. Her arms slipped around his neck, and she peppered his mouth with several more delicate brushes. Tyler allowed the tender assault but wondered what she was thinking. Pushing at his shoulders until his back was pressed to the sheets, she surprised him by kissing a path down his chest. She didn’t stop until her hair flicked across his dick. The sensation, while desirable, was not going to lead him to relief.

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Tyler was about to ask what she was doing but he figured it out when her lips closed over the end of his cock. The inviting warmth of her mouth surrounding his dick literally made his brain freeze in mid thought. The seductive power of suction she applied kept any new thoughts from generating beyond one. Don’t stop. Dignity and responsibility called for him to end this unholy pleasure. She didn’t have to do it. He would never have asked her to, but he also didn’t move. He couldn’t. He should pull her mouth off of his dick this second, but her slim, calloused hand gripped the base of his cock, and the outcome was inevitable. No pun intended. Tyler’s conscious spoke, “Wait. You don’t have to—” Veronica cut his words off when she squeezed a little harder and sucked his cock into her warm mouth a little deeper, exerting unfathomable bliss. He shuddered, closed his eyes, and stopped fighting the unavoidable pleasure of oral copulation. She sucked and stroked his virulent erection even tighter until only moments later he released with a growl. Appreciation filled his sated body, and he wondered why she’d done it. The pure unadulterated gratification was appreciated, but in the great scheme of their limited past, was ultimately unneeded. Perhaps she wanted to express her gratitude for his unwitting service the night before. From her perspective, she did owe him. Big. And he wasn’t supposed to remember what happened the night before. Perhaps she was being clever by giving him a blow job. From her point of view, it was smart to bring about a sexual release. Now he wouldn’t wonder why his body felt so relaxed from the night before. Tyler didn’t move when she released his cock from her mouth and hand. She slung an arm across his hips and laid her head on his stomach, facing away so he couldn’t see her eyes. What was on her mind? Waiting for her to speak, he brushed his hand down her head, sifting her soft locks between his fingers.

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When she didn’t say anything, he murmured, “That was amazing.” “I’m glad you liked it.” Tyler laughed. “I liked it all right, but you didn’t have to—” She cut him off. “I wanted to. I appreciate all that you’ve done for me. The auction. The fight. The marriage. All of it.” There was a knock at the door, and they both shot out of bed in less than a second. Tyler mentally put on his game face and prepared to lie his ass off about his memory of what had happened the night before. He couldn’t trust her with the knowledge of his genetic abilities. Not yet anyway. Besides the obvious fact that it might piss her off, Tyler had too much at stake to let anyone, even Veronica, find out about his secret, genetically enhanced abilities. Spotting his shorts on a chair across the room, he noted that they were folded neatly. He grabbed them, put them on quickly, followed by his trousers, and headed for the door. He glanced over his shoulder to see Veronica slip into a silky peach robe provided by the hotel. If it were possible, she looked even sexier than when she’d been naked. Another knock sounded as they exited the bedroom. The second was more impatient than the first. Tyler sent an inquisitive glance to his wife. “I’m not expecting anyone. Are you?” Veronica’s face went blank, and she tilted her head once sharply, indicating he should answer the knock. He strode over and the opened the door a crack. Outside was a figure he hadn’t expected to see so early today. A representative from the Tiberius Group stood poised at the threshold of their suite. He held a familiar piece of equipment housed in a case in one hand and a piece of slightly crumpled syntho-paper in the other. “Tyler Blackthorn?” His eyes narrowed. “Who wants to know?” “My name is Mr. Fredrickson. I have an order for a bride scan test

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for your new wife.” The man pushed forward as if to enter, but Tyler held the door tight. Tyler nodded at the paper. “Who ordered the test set up for so early in the morning?” “Someone from the bride’s family has requested the verification.” The representative pushed hard on the doorknob and stepped halfway inside the room effectively blocking Tyler from closing the door in his face. “Come back tomorrow.” Tyler tried to shoo him out of the way, but he remained wedged in the door frame. “I’m already here. Someone called and left a message early this morning.” Mr. Fredrickson distractedly studied the paper and then nodded. Tyler didn’t glance at Veronica. “Who called?” He suspected he knew exactly who’d called and stifled a grin. Stop acting happy about this. Veronica’s cool fingertips graced his arm and distracted him before she placed a hand on his shoulder and announced, “Actually, I called him.” Tyler turned to her with a smile. “What can they scan for, baby doll?” He fastened his gaze onto her mouth first then slid to her eyes. The body scan didn’t register oral sex. “Our consummation. From last night.” **** Veronica stuck one of her long, shapely legs between the synthowood door and his feet. She stepped in front of Tyler, opened the door wide, and ushered the Tiberius Group Representative into the room. Mr. Sex Tester was right on time. Veronica had slipped out of bed and called for the representative to come early today instead of the later scheduled time that her father had arranged when the auction papers were signed.

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The auction papers had to be altered because Draken’s address had been in place as the location for the expected test. Veronica shivered in memory of her reprieve and followed the representative to the table where the empty wine bottle rested. Tyler didn’t argue surprisingly enough. He adopted an amused expression as if he knew for certain the body scan wouldn’t register anything from last night. Wouldn’t he be surprised? “Stand with your arms away from your body.” Tyler remained at the door. He crossed his arms and leaned against the now-closed door of the bridal suite. With obvious amusement, he watched the representative set up his equipment. Veronica noticed that the testing machine was a newer model, thankfully. Most of the older models put out so much smoke they were nearly toxic to humans. The dildo-shaped device made a loud grinding noise, and there was a distinct acrid odor of burning rubber tires, but no smoke. “What game are you playing?” Tyler leaned one beefy shoulder against the closed front door. “Game?” Veronica kept her expression bland and pretended not to know what he meant. “I’m not playing a game.” In a few moments, she’d have to start explaining anyway. Better to save her lengthy story for when they were alone. The representative ran the wand down her body several times and finally turned the machine off. “That will do it.” He put the device back in its crushed velvet–lined case. “I’ll notify the bride’s family and send the permanent paperwork in.” Tyler’s eyebrows raised. “Permanent paperwork?” “Yes. It will be mailed to the address provided on the wedding auction paperwork within ten business days. The bride’s family will be notified immediately.” Her new husband leaned away from the wall with a puzzled frown. “I thought permanent marriage paperwork required a positive

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reading?” Mr. Fredrickson shrugged. “And she’s registered a positive result. Congratulations, you’re officially a permanently married couple.” “That’s very interesting.” He gave Veronica a very curious stare. He didn’t look angry or like he wanted to kill her yet, but there was still a witness. Once the Mr. Sex Tester was gone, she’d face Tyler alone. She swallowed hard and, for the first time in recorded memory, wished to spend a longer time in the company of a Tiberius representative. Mr. Fredrickson quickly pulled another syntho-sheet out of his jacket pocket after he placed the body scan device back in the case. “Sign here and we’ll be done.” Veronica gave Tyler a blank stare. His eyes narrowed in return, and she wondered if he’d murder her in front of the witness anyway. Peeling himself away from the door, Tyler approached Mr. Fredrickson slowly. “So let me understand this. You’ve scanned her with your equipment, and my DNA is inside her body.” “Yes.” “So that means I’ll be married to her for a minimum of two years?” The representative absently scanned the paper in his hand. “Three years, actually. As stated in the agreement you signed with her family when you won the bid yesterday at the auction. Private auctions have varying rules regarding the initial length of time for first time marriages. It’s automatically renewable after the three years,” he explained. “Three years.” Not a question. A statement. “Is there a problem, sir?” “No.” Tyler snatched the paperwork from the representative and signed it with a flourish. Veronica expected him to dispute the body scan findings with the representative. In her narrow experience with powerful men, yelling, screaming, and fists flying were the norm. His quiet acceptance made

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things worse for some reason. She’d never heard Tyler raise his voice but had expected lots of ranting and raving over this auspicious permanent marriage. In fact, she didn’t know precisely what Tyler Blackthorn was capable of. Well, not exactly. She’d heard rumors in the circles where she’d traveled before going back to her father’s house prior to Valentina’s wedding. Tyler was in the security business, which was a vague term for any number of activities. He was touted as the best security money could buy, but in this case, security was just a nice substitution for the more accurate term of mercenary. He probably knew hundreds of ways to kill her without leaving a trace. But Veronica had a few skills of her own. She hoped that she wouldn’t need them with her new husband. Mr. Fredrickson left the room a mere thirteen minutes after entering. Tyler had shown him to the door, closed it, and checked the locks before turning to face her. His passive face made her want to ramble, and if she started speaking, she would certainly be incoherent. “Let me explain,” she managed. Tyler gave her a blank stare which morphed into a smile as he stepped away from the door. “Nothing to explain, baby doll.” Approaching her stealthily, Tyler stopped an arm’s length away. “Let’s go back to bed. I seem to have misplaced my memory of our consummation from last night. And before another second goes by, I’d like to reenact it.” His words scorched through her soul with an erotic promise of more satisfaction. Her gratified libido silently asked the persuasive question, Sexually, what is he capable of fully awake and driven versus drugged and drunk? Veronica’s conscious imagination wanted to know the answer to that question, however another part of her brain wanted to explain her actions. “I can’t help it if you drank too much and forgot what happened

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last night.” I am going to burn in hell for that blatant lie. Tyler closed the distance between them in three short steps. Veronica put her hands on his chest, ready to appease his anger although he didn’t seem terribly annoyed. He seemed more motivated. Sliding an arm around her shoulders, he wrapped a meaty hand around her upper arm and put his face to her ear. His barely audible whisper chilled her. “That doesn’t matter any more, because now that we’re permanently attached, you’re mine to do with as I please. For the next three years, I can have you anytime I want, do anything I want, for as long as I want. Did you ever consider that fact, even once before you got me drunk last night, baby doll?” Veronica backed up a step, and her butt hit the sofa. Tyler slid his hands from her elbows to her shoulders. She shivered but didn’t answer. She hadn’t expected to get away with this convoluted plan. Veronica shrugged and watched his expression. With hands massaging her shoulders gently, Tyler took a half a step closer. His magnetic presence filled her personal space and made her libido dance for joy. She was embarrassed to be wet and ready for whatever he was about to do to her. What was he about to do to her? The salaciously anxious question from her insatiable libido sent a frisson of conscious fear down her spine. His face was blank. Gorgeously unreadable. Decidedly fearprovoking in intensity. He didn’t have his gun on him, did he? Lowering his face to hers with precision, Veronica wasn’t prepared for him to gift her with a devastatingly carnal kiss that enraptured her heart and soul. **** Time to throw my new permanent wife off guard. Tyler mentally rubbed his hands together as he slid his arms around Veronica’s shoulders and swooped in to plant a slow, sexy,

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lip-licking kiss on her mouth. She wasn’t fighting him off so he decided to show her what he was capable of when he wasn’t pretending to be drugged. Tangling her tongue against his with tender strokes, Veronica moaned and melted against his chest in soft surrender. Tyler tightened his grip around her body and prepared to make her next sexual experience one she’d never forget. He made love to her mouth with his lips and tongue, doing his best to keep her so occupied that she wouldn’t notice he’d just led her around to lie down on the sofa. Tyler had her horizontal with her silky peach robe wide open in no time. He stroked his hand from her collarbone to her thigh and slipped his fingers between her lower lips to play with her clit. Veronica writhed and moaned even louder once his fingers got busy. Circling her clit with his thumb, he slowly inserted two fingers in side her warm pussy. A hot gush of her musky essence seeped around his digits, enabling him to go deeper. Pulling his fingers in and out slowly, he rubbed her clit listening carefully to the sound of her breathing. If he hadn’t lost his touch, he should be able to predict the split second before her climax rode through her body. The telltale sound of her breath catching as her hips and legs stiffened was the precursor to her back arching and her pussy squeezing his fingers in a satisfied rhythm. Her ardent and verbal climatic response went straight to his soul. The impact that Veronica had on him was primal. He’d never had such a gratifying experience making a woman come. His cock was as hard as granite yet again. Tyler broke the kiss and trailed his lips down to one breast to suckle and tease. She didn’t stop him when he latched his mouth around the other nipple either. Pulling his fingers from between her legs he slathered the wet musk over one breast, licked his fingers and then licked her breast clean.

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“What did you do to me?” Tyler laughed. “If you aren’t sure then perhaps I should do it again.” He kissed the space between her breasts. “I don’t even remember how I ended up on my back. You’re dangerous.” “I’m about to get more dangerous, baby doll.” He leaned up from her body on one elbow enough to loosen the opening of his pants with his other hand. One-handed, he pushed his pants down to his thighs not wanting to waste the time taking them off. She watched but didn’t react beyond blinking a couple of times. Cock in hand, he stroked himself from base to tip and leaned down to kiss her mouth with tender care. He was about to ask if she would object to his cock coming inside to play, but she grabbed his dick and caressed it with her soft hand. He relinquished his shaft to her care as she lifted her hips to insert his happy shaft deeply within her body. His cock slid into her tight wet pussy about an inch before she moaned and whispered, “Ohmigod, please take me hard.” Tyler slipped his hand around her ass leveraging so he could power his cock in as far as possible. Hot, wet, blissful nirvana awaited him with his first deep thrust. “Damn, you’re tight,” he managed to blurt out before pulling out half way only to pump another stroke more deeply. “Harder. God, you feel incredible.” Her plea nearly undid him. Veronica’s hands clung to his hips, her fingernails dug into his flesh has he eased in and out of her lusciously tight body. The scent of her skin wafted through his lungs and tightened his resolve to please her. He shifted his hand from her hip to stroke her clit. Her moan touched his soul. Moving over her, Tyler watched her face. Eyelids mashed shut as a smile hinted at her lips, she moved in a perfect rhythm with him as they made love. He caressed her clitoris with his thumb. Her eyes opened and her gaze slid to where their bodies connected.

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Utter wonder caressed her face as he rubbed her clit and stroked his cock thunderously deep. Seconds later, she arched, letting a shriek escape, and her pussy clenched his cock tighter than he would have believed possible. Tyler increased his penetrations as Veronica’s slick sex fisted around him. He couldn’t hold his climax much longer. Genetically engineered to give pleasure, Tyler found himself seduced by Veronica’s utter joy and generous sexual nature. He released with a growl of immeasurable satisfaction, wanting to tuck his new wife alongside his soul and never let her go. He collapsed and pinned her to the sofa with a final appreciative groan. Tyler burrowed his face into her shoulder and tried to get his pounding heart to slow down. He didn’t want to move ever again. Panting, Veronica whispered, “You make me forget everything else in my head.” “Good.” You make me remember how lonely I’ve been. “No. That’s not good. We still have a lot to discuss.” Tyler cleared his throat. “Oh? Like what?” Like the discussion of a permanent relationship between us? “The trip to Montana for one.” Tyler lifted his torso, balanced on his forearm, and shot a stern glare at her. “The Montana trip is cancelled, baby doll. You don’t need to find another husband closer to your sister.” Veronica licked her lips and broke the intense gaze they shared. “We still have to go there.” His head dipped closer. His lips were a mere breath from hers. Tyler already wanted her again. His ravenous libido was yet to be completely satisfied. “Oh? And why is that?” His mouth was mere inches away from kissing hers. “Valentina is missing.”

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Chapter Eight “What do you mean Valentina is missing?” His eyes narrowed as a suspicious gaze zeroed in. His cock was buried deeply in her body, making it difficult for her to articulate. “Where is she?” Veronica closed her eyes halfway to eliminate his seductive dangerous lure on her senses and focused on the recollection of why she’d incurred the wrath of her new mercenary husband in the first place. “If I knew where she was, I wouldn’t need a husband to squire me around to look for her.” Veronica didn’t mean to sound so blasé about her reason for trapping him into this marriage. Tyler sighed deeply. “So that’s what this is all about.” He immediately shifted his hard cock from her body and broke the delectable contact to sit on the sofa. “Who told you Valentina was missing?” Veronica yanked her robe closed and pulled herself to a sitting position. “My father told me at our wedding yesterday morning.” Tyler fastened his pants. “And you believed him.” She hated that there was now this gulf between them when only moments before they’d been snuggled together and as physically close as two human beings could be. Now seemingly miles apart, Tyler’s words registered in her brain, and her eyes widened at the possibility she’d done all of this for nothing. “He seemed sincere, or maybe smug is a better word. He told me to ask you about it.” “You didn’t ask.” He crossed his arms. “Instead you got me drunk and took advantage of me in my sleep.”

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“I’m sorry about that.” She reached out and put her hand on his arm. “I’ll make it right once we find Valentina. Please help me.” He huffed. “Are you sure she’s even missing? What does her husband have to say?” “I haven’t spoken with him. I was a little tied up.” She huffed in return. “I’d imagine he’s beside himself with worry. He probably can’t even go look for her because he’s got to work at their ranch. If he abandons it, he’ll lose his livelihood. At least that’s the impression I got from Valentina when I called her.” “You spoke with Valentina? When?” “The day the search-bots caught me.” A disturbing thought occurred to her. One she didn’t want to share out loud. Wondering how she’d ever accomplish all the things she needed to get done, her gaze strayed to somewhere over his shoulder. “What else is wrong?” Veronica swung her attention back to his gorgeous face and focused as she remembered where she was. She shook her head. “Nothing really. I was thinking about something I left behind when they cornered me.” The treasured note you gave me to name one. Not to mention that the list of things she needed to complete grew exponentially with every additional second that went by. She needed to find Valentina. She needed to get in touch with Skip to find out his status. She needed to let him know she was still with the living and that they might have a mole in their organization. Most of all, she needed to appease her new husband long enough for him to help her achieve her goals in a timely fashion. Glancing at his handsome face again, she wished they were touching. His very presence called to her on some deep level no man in her history had ever bothered to penetrate. Plus, Tyler treated her better than any other man she’d ever known. Was he capable of love? Foolish notion. Even if he was, he’d never love her. She’d done things that he didn’t even know about yet.

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Things from a lifetime ago. Veronica paled at the thought of Tyler finding out what she’d done four years ago in Maine. While it could have been worse, he’d been hurt very badly because of her and her affiliation. While she’d been too afraid to search his body the night before, Veronica wondered if he carried a scar from that bullet? **** Tyler reached out and squeezed her shoulders. “What did you leave behind?” He loved touching her and found the sappy attitude, of wanting to use each and every opportunity to do so, disturbing. Veronica shrugged and looked away, but something in her expression told him that whatever had been left behind held important meaning. “Do you want me to send someone to retrieve whatever you left behind?” Her head snapped up. “You would do that for me? After everything I’ve done to you?” Tyler grinned. “Sure. For a price.” She smirked. “That’s right. I forgot. You’re a mercenary. You do everything for a price.” “Speaking of which, you and I have several prices still left to negotiate between us, baby doll. Want to know my price for a threeyear marriage?” “Not really.” Veronica released a breath that brushed his arm and sent tingles to his shoulder. Her tone was, not surprisingly, dejected. She had no idea that he wasn’t livid over the permanence of this marriage. Would she expect him to be furious? Probably. Time to throw her off guard. “Tell me, did you enjoy last night?” That got her attention. “What?”

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“It’s a simple enough question. Did you or did you not enjoy the sex we had last night which resulted in the positive DNA reading this morning?” Veronica was so lovely to watch. Her pupils widened, and if he wasn’t mistaken, she’d just moistened her panties with memory of their interlude last night. From where he stood, he could smell her arousal and fought the urge to lick his lips. There was one thing he hadn’t done last night in all their sexual adventures that he’d subsequently dreamed about. Before they left this hotel room, he planned on taking advantage of the privacy to do exactly as he’d dreamed. “Yes. I enjoyed it.” Her husky tone enticed his already rampant libido. “What would you say if I wanted to have a further recreation?” He glanced at the bedroom door. “Let’s retire to the honeymoon bridal suite, for my own special wedding night memories.” She swallowed hard. “I wouldn’t be opposed to that.” He leaned in to kiss her, but she whispered against his mouth. “What’s your price to help me find Valentina?” “Later.” He captured her lips in a warm sensual kiss which made him want to have sex standing just as they were. She stiffened in his arms. “No. Now.” Tyler smirked. “What makes you think I’ll help you after what you’ve done?” “You helped me with her the last time, even though I broke all your rules.” “What makes you think I care about finding Valentina?” His voice rose to accompany his outward attitude. Veronica’s eyes popped open. “She’s my sister—” “I know who she is.” Tyler advanced on her. “I married her once. You paid for it as I recall.” Her moist-eyed gaze traveled to meet his. “Yes,” she whispered and inhaled a sharp breath before adding, “I remember that, too.”

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Tyler kept his face blank even though her sudden emotional response surprised him. He refused to acknowledge the building tears. Whether they were about to spill from anger, fear, sadness, or to see if he reacted to them, he didn’t know. “Why would you invite my fury by binding yourself to me for the next three years no less and thereby ruining my primary livelihood?” Veronica swallowed hard and a tear escaped her lower lid to trail down her face. She swiped at the drop with the back of one hand. “I thought maybe…” She trailed off and sniffed. Shaking her head suddenly, she seemed to give herself a mental shake. Her demeanor shifted to a more controlled countenance. “The truth is I wasn’t thinking beyond trying to help my sister. I thought you were my best hope for finding her.” “Why me?” “Beyond the fact that you saved me from Draken without my asking you to do so? I know about your reputation. I know what you did before you became a husband for hire. In countless underground circles, you’re labeled the best security money can buy.” Tyler squinted to keep an impromptu smile from forming at her confession. She traveled in underground circles enough to know his former credo? He hadn’t heard that old tag line in years. Not since around the same time as his first marriage of convenience to Evie Marsh had given him the idea for this business. He’d been primary security for Charles Huntington back then. Shortly after taking Evie Marsh as his first temporary wife, an attempt on Huntington’s life had put him in the hospital and that credo had circulated. Veronica knowing this tidbit of information was very interesting. He’d always suspected she must have traveled in underground off the radar places. “I’m still the best security money can buy, baby doll.” She nodded. “I know. I need those skills and a husband so that I can cross the country unimpeded to Montana.” He approached her slowly. “I don’t see where being single has

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exactly hampered your ability to do whatever the hell you want.” “I can get around this city. I’ve lived on the streets for years. However, once I’m out of the city the rules change very drastically. I likely wouldn’t make it very far.” “I can’t believe you’d admit such a thing.” “Time wastes each second that I’m not looking for her and I’m not stupid enough to risk my solitary chance on false bravado. I need you. Please help me find her. Then I’ll do…” She paused and swallowed hard. “…whatever you want.” “You’ll do whatever I want anyway.” Tyler slid as close as he could without touching her. “And you’ll be doing it for three years, starting right now.” Tyler grabbed her shoulders and planted his mouth brutally over hers for a demanding kiss. She expected a hostile mercenary. He didn’t want to disappoint her or make her suspicious, so he’d play that angle for just a little while longer. She broke away. “Haven’t you had enough?” Releasing her a moment he whispered, “No. I happen to have a voracious appetite for sex. That blow job from this morning only whetted my appetite. This interlude on the sofa? Merely a snack.” His cock had thickened into fuck mode without much preamble. “How many times did we…consummate last night?” She didn’t even blink. “Twice.” Pressing his hips forward his unruly dick pushed against her body wanting more. “No wonder the sheets smelled like sex this morning.” Tyler hid his elation, but grinned like a sap on the inside, happy for some stupid reason that she hadn’t lied. She’d told him to make love to her, and he had. He would have taken her a third time during their impromptu shower last night if she’d wanted, but they’d gotten side tracked when she asked about his former wife. He didn’t know why he’d told Veronica about Katherine. Likely it was guilt. One more guilty secret in a long line of guilty secrets that he harbored. No wonder he was lonely. Everyone he’d ever loved had been ripped from him or killed for knowing him. The

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notion of his life in general and the devious loneliness of late crowded his mind and put him out of the mood the night before. Once between the sheets, Tyler had been so exhausted from his day he decided he needed the sleep more than he needed the extra round of sex. However, now he was very much in the mood. He slipped very close, cupped her face with his hands, and placed his mouth over hers once before whispering, “Get in bed with me. I’ll make you come again.” Before she could answer, he devoured her lips in a savage kiss meant to make her forget about anything else except what he would do once he got her between those sheets.

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Chapter Nine Veronica’s first instinct was to tense up, but the taste of him overwhelmed her. If any other man had treated her like this, she would have kicked him in the nuts or at least made the effort. Tyler could touch her anywhere and she was ready to lie down, spread her legs, and beg. What is wrong with me? Veronica slid her tongue into his mouth. Perhaps she wouldn’t feel so bad if she became the aggressor in this little power struggle. Last night, she’d been in charge of the seduction. Although, Tyler was understandably angry, and in her mind, he had every right to be. He’d saved her ass, and she repaid him by ruining his career. If he hadn’t come to her rescue at the wedding auction, Veronica had no doubt that she’d already have been raped repeatedly by Draken, humiliated in front of the tester to ensure the marriage was legal, and promptly stuck in a dungeon or killed outright for her long list of egregious behaviors against the Draken clan. Instead, and only because of Tyler’s unexpected generosity, she had spent last night discovering sexual delights with a man she feared she might be falling in love with. She pushed her body closer, molding her torso to his as her libido increased and her core wept. Tyler pulled back and grinned. “I love it when you try to overpower me, baby doll.” His grin faded. “Is that what you did last night? Did you push me down and take the reins of power so you could have your wicked way with me?” “No. I just asked you to have sex, and you did. It wasn’t too difficult.” Veronica lost her zeal for power. She wanted Tyler to take

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control this time. Now, how to back down. “If you want to be in charge this time, I’m okay with that. But if you ever do anything I don’t like, I won’t stick around long enough to tell you about it.” He squinted as if she tried to trick him. “That’s not a threat is it? If you ever run from me while we’re legally married, I’ll hunt you to the ends of the earth.” “Then don’t do anything to make me unhappy.” He laughed out loud. “Good to know you have a sense of humor, baby doll.” Veronica smiled. She couldn’t help it, but then she sobered. “What if I mean it? The thing is, I won’t be abused.” “I won’t abuse you. However, from this day forward, you’re mine, baby doll. There better not be any other men waiting around for you. I promise you, I’ll take them out in the most painful manner I can think up.” She made an I-don’t-care face. There was no man in her life waiting for her with the exception of Draken and possibly her father. She was safe from them with the miraculous addition of this permanent marriage to Tyler. “Until the end of three years anyway.” He grunted. “For right now, I want you naked, in my bed, and acquiescent.” Veronica kissed his mouth. “Will you settle for two out of three?” He grinned. “Depends on which two.” “Naked and in your bed are a given. Acquiescence is a very foreign trait for me to exhibit. Therefore, it’ll cost you extra.” She burrowed her face in his neck and nuzzled him. He smelled good enough to lick. “And even if I do capitulate, I won’t really mean it.” Tyler’s hand slid to her neck, and his fingers tangled in the hair at the nape. “Mm. I love strong women,” he murmured against her hair. “Men never say that, and I can’t believe you mean it.” “It’s true. I love a strong woman in my bed. Once we face the world, you’re going to have to act differently. You’ll need to learn that acquiescent word and display it for all those who will watch us.”

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“I know how the world works. And in my opinion, it sucks.” “Perhaps, but it doesn’t change how you’ll have to act. Remember strong in bed, tame in the public eye.” Pulling the strands of her hair tight he tilted her head back tenderly and promptly kissed her jaw then rubbed his whiskery face against hers. The light kiss and subsequent rough stubble rubbing against her face sent her pulse spiraling. He kissed her cheek, and she thought she might slither to the floor in an unladylike puddle. He held fast to her hair and tilted her face upward to kiss her lips gently, and she knew for certain that she wanted to swoon in his arms. Time to take this to the bedroom. “Take me to bed and…love me.” He didn’t answer. Just tightened his fist in her hair and bent her backward until he could bury his face in her neck and nip at her throat. If she wasn’t turned on yet, she was now. He bit the cord between shoulder and neck, and she moaned with a resonance that echoed through her soul. She wanted him. What would he be capable of without drugs coursing through his sluggish body? She shuddered. Last night, he hadn’t exactly been a comatose victim. Soon enough, he tightened an arm around her waist and lifted her enough to carry her into the bedroom. Veronica pulled her legs up and wound them around his waist, locking her ankles behind his back for the short ride. He crossed the threshold of the bedroom, rubbing a hand down her back to cup a butt cheek. Veronica was about to find out what he could do without being drunk on his ass and drugged to the gills. She couldn’t seem to stop the grin that had erupted. By the time he placed her on her feet, her grin had faded. She looked at him with a serious expression. She shivered from complete and utter desire. He quickly scanned her body, as she trembled. “Are you afraid of me?”

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“No. I’m anxious.” The grin snuck out again. “Good.” Tyler made her stupid with desire whenever he was in her sensory range. She wished she could throw off his confidence a little. A thought occurred about the questions she’d asked last night. One in particular was on her mind so she asked, “Have you ever been married before?” He laughed. “Um, yeah. You make wife number thirteen. Let’s hope that’s my lucky number.” “I meant a real wife.” She didn’t know why she gave a shit except that for that look in his eyes last night. “Am I the first permanent wife to share your name?” His face went blank. After several seconds he responded. “No. I was married a long time ago.” “Oh? And where is she?” Although their bodies were still intimately connected, Veronica leaned away from him. She tried to be surprised by his answer. She wasn’t as shocked as she’d been last night. “She died.” “What happened to her?” “What difference does it make?” He nudged her with his hips. “Especially now.” She loosened herself from him. “Oh. I don’t know. Domestic violence would be a problem for me.” Her sarcasm often slipped out at inappropriate times, but this time, she felt justified. She’d asked the question last night because she’d wanted to know if he were pining for someone long dead. Now she needed to know if he’d put her in a pine box himself in the name of alpha male superiority. “I didn’t kill her…” He sent his gaze over her shoulder as if memories were intruding on his conscious mind. “But she ended up dead because of me anyway.” “I need you to explain.” He huffed out a long sigh. “We were on the run from someone,

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and we got caught. She was killed in the ensuing battle to escape.” “Did you love her?” Veronica’s voice cracked with emotion as she asked. Tyler focused his intense gaze on her face and nodded. “Yes. I loved her. But it was a long time ago. We were very young. It certainly doesn’t matter right now.” Her mouth formed an o. A wall came up around her feelings. She wanted more information. Had this first real wife captured his heart? Wounded him to love only the memory of a dead woman forever? Would any other woman in his life even matter? Would Veronica ever matter? “I promise you that it won’t interfere with us if that’s what you’re worried about.” Good God, he could read her mind. “I see.” Veronica pondered his statement a moment and nodded. “Thank you. I’m so used to men telling me to shut up and stop asking questions that I’m always surprised when you don’t.” He shrugged. “I don’t need to be brutal in order to get my point across.” His eyes narrowed. “Unless it’s brutal to demand to know why we got so far off the subject of let’s-have-sex-right-now?” Veronica grinned. “I’m not sure, but we should definitely get back to that.” An emotion she’d long thought dead in her soul suddenly and inexplicably resurrected. Approval. He wasn’t going to bully her. He wooed her. He thrilled her. All Tyler had to do was touch her anywhere and she’d gladly do absolutely anything he asked. She should probably find her deep seated hard core bitch to deal with him in the future. She’d access that contrary personality and implement it at a later date if needed. For now she wanted this man. She wanted to pretend that he loved her. That they were madly in love with each other and the world at large could go take a flying leap off a cliff. She wanted to be accepted her for the faults she carried. And there were quite a few. She was willful. She was too independent for the times she lived in. She didn’t like to be told what to do. Tyler didn’t

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know it yet, but he had his hands full with her as his permanent wife. Veronica quelled the guilt that assaulted her with the knowledge that at the first opportunity, she would be gone, out of his life and back into her old one. She had commitments and debts to pay. Sometimes she wondered if she’d ever stop paying for being born a female. “Undress for me. I want to watch you strip.” Veronica’s nipples pebbled at the request, and she nodded. “I don’t have much on. Just a robe.” “Then it won’t take you very long.” His devilish grin sent a shiver down her spine. Veronica backed away from him and peeled the garment off her shoulders very slowly. “What about you?” He crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow. “What about me?” “Maybe I want to see you too.” “I suspect you had your fill last night. I’m playing catch up.” But he undid his pants and shucked them to his feet. His huge body, and especially his jutting cock, embodied her definition of sexy man. Veronica felt the flush on her overheated skin cover her from roots to toes. She’d done her best to make a tactile memory map of his flesh the night before, tracing his extensive muscle groups with light fingertips as he’d slept. “Okay.” Veronica dropped the robe off her shoulders until the silk caught briefly on her extended nipples before slithering to her feet. She resisted the urge to wrap her arms around what she knew to be an imperfect body. He likely wasn’t impressed. “Turn around,” he ordered quietly never taking his eyes from hers. Veronica spun around and stayed facing away, glad not to see his inquisitive eyes studying her flesh any longer. Before she took her next breath, he slid behind her. The crisp, curly hair on his chest tickled the space between her shoulder blades. His wide cock pressed into her derriere. His fingers dug into her arms briefly before sliding to cup her

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sensitive breasts. “I meant for you to spin in a complete circle.” “Why?” “Because I wanted you to.” “Not a good enough reason.” He stroked her nipples tenderly and kissed the back of her neck until she relaxed against him. “We have two hours until checkout. Are you going to be defiant during all of it?” “Maybe you need to be more clear in your instructions.” The rumble of his laughter caught her off guard. “Perhaps you’re right. Let’s get in bed.” Drifting across the room propelled by his insistent nudging of her ass with his cock, Veronica trembled in anticipation. Drugged and half asleep, he had been the best sexual experience she’d ever had. Awake and determined, she expected his lovemaking would rival that of a deity. The front of her legs pressed into the side of the still unmade bed. She bent over it to catch her balance, and her ass pushed into his groin. “Perfect. You must be a mind reader. Stay right where you are.” She looked over her shoulder. “Like this?” His grin was infectious. “Or you could crawl up on the bed on all fours and I’ll take you from behind there?” The visual he suggested made her pussy gush. Her hips wiggled against him. “I’ll stay here.” Before she took her next breath his cock slid between her slick lower lips. An appreciative hiss escaped his mouth as he pierced her completely. Sliding a hand up her spine, he grabbed a fist full of hair and pulled her head up. His cock pulled out slowly but powered inside hard and deep a second time. Veronica groaned and widened her stance to ease his entry. The hand on her ass leveraging her in place squeezed tight as he thrust inside her pussy again. And again. The faster pace and deep penetration ignited a gratifying tingle low in her belly. The sensation of him fucking her from behind was,

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for her, erotic and decadent. She was not a prude, but hadn’t expected to like this sexual position so much. The angle of his cock touched her womb eliciting a sharp pang of desire with each stroke. Veronica didn’t think she could climax yet again, but each thrust of his cock brought on the seductive and escalating sensation of imminent release. Without slowing the rhythm of his movement, Tyler slipped his hand between her legs to stroke her clit. She opened her eyes and watched him touch her intimately. Watching him fuck her in this position ratcheted up the sensation building rapidly. He rubbed her clit twice more before another unexpected white, hot release rushed through her core as she shrieked in climax. The orgasm registered in her soul and tightened convulsively on his cock still powering in and out of her pussy. Tyler thrust deeply one last time and growled as his climax showered her sex. Another satisfied sounding groan escaped and he promptly bent in half pinning her to the bed. Veronica, sandwiched between the sheets and his warm body, tried to catch her breath. “You overwhelm me,” she panted. “And you’re heavy.” “Sorry.” He raised enough so that she could take a deep breath. Moments later, he lifted off, backed away and broke their intimate connection. “Want to get in bed now?” he asked running a hand down her spine and over one butt cheek. Veronica raised from the bed on shaky legs. “Actually, I’d love a shower. Want to join me?” Tyler nodded and she led the way to the bathroom much like she had the night before. Déjà vu. Once ensconced in the shower stall, Tyler crossed his arms and leaned a shoulder against the tile in almost exactly the same spot. This time, however, his hawk-like gaze was not sleepy. He watched her with a wolfish smile shaping his lips as she soaped her body and allowed the warm water to ease away the aches. His cock grew as she

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washed and visibly throbbed when she rolled the soapy washcloth between her legs. Didn’t he ever go soft? “Last night, did I tell you how beautiful you are?” She smiled. “Yes. But you were completely shitfaced.” “Doesn’t mean it isn’t true.” Veronica shrugged. “You were very sweet.” He huffed. “I’m a mercenary. I’m certain I wasn’t sweet.” She brushed her hand across his forehead and trailed her fingertips down his face tenderly resting them at his jaw. “You were perfect.” “Good. I’ll bet you were perfect, too.” He lowered his head and kissed her lips. She licked him in return, but he retreated kissing a path down her body until he sucked one tender nipple in his mouth. Waves of pleasure rolled along her skin from the epicenter of where his warm mouth connected. He went to his knees and the matt of curly hair tickled her inner thighs as he laved first one nipple and then the other with rapt attention. Slowly, he kissed his way from her breasts to her belly, sliding his body as he went, his hands stroked the outer length of her thighs. Veronica wondered if his mouth was headed to between her legs. She wished for that desperately. The memory of the blow job she’d given him earlier made a gush of moisture flood her lower lips. Had that only been an hour ago? His fingertips skimmed her body from breast to knee with gentle exploration scorching her skin each place he touched until he brushed a path down her inner thigh. She backed against the shower wall and out of the direct spray to allow his exploration. Her legs fell open in anticipation of his ultimate destination. Before he put his mouth below her belly button he said, “You know I think you taste good.” “Yes. You’ve mentioned it.” “And you won’t fight me if I go to the source.” “No. Why do you always think I’m going to fight you?” “Hmm. Let me think.” He winked.

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Veronica let a very unladylike giggle escape. Tyler slid his mouth down farther. His chin grazed her mound. She glanced down, and the sight of his head between her legs sent a vibrant pulse of desire from belly to clit. Steamy, fragrant air swirled around them as he pleasured her. His fingers gently pulled her lower lips apart, and the tip of his tongue grazed her clit followed quickly by his mouth covering her. The warmth of his mouth encompassing her lower lips sent her directly to her secret happy place. She arched as his tongue abandoned her sensitive nub and traced her lower lips. The seductive power of his mouth licking her intimately made the problems in her brain fade. The awful world she existed in, fighting for survival every day, drifted away. She allowed herself this moment in time to enjoy the pleasure and carnality of this unexpected union. He shifted his body and slid his hands along the back of her thighs until they rested beneath her ass and the tile. He never once stopped the exquisite and pleasurable torment between her thighs. The second he put his mouth on her clit and sucked, she’d probably go over the edge into another screaming orgasm. His tongue entered her briefly before he licked all the way to her clit. He fastened his lips around the nub as his fingertips massaged her butt. He was really good at this. The utter electric power of his suction on her over-stimulated clitoris sent her to dizzying heights. She ground her hips into his mouth, and her fingers fisted. He sucked harder, and her short panting breaths became a long, healthy scream of satisfaction when the building tension exploded in unbelievable pleasure. The intensity of the climax took her by surprise. She’d had two orgasms the night before and three this morning. She should be quenched, but Tyler made her come like she’d gone celibate for six months. Trembling soon replaced her arching body and she watched through slit eyes as he kissed his way back up her body. She wanted his cock buried deep in the worst way.

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“Are you ready for me?” He whispered in her ear as his cock grazed her soaked, wet, and ready opening. “Yes.” She clutched her arms around his neck and pushed her hips forward so that the very tip of his dick slipped into her slick body. “Please.” He felt bigger than he had the night before, if that was even possible. Hands still attached to her butt, Tyler lifted her until his cock slipped deeper between her legs. Thrusting upward, he was balls-deep within her pussy with a long, satisfying stroke. Veronica tightened her muscles around his cock, and he grunted in response before pulling out almost all the way. He pushed inside again slowly at a steady pace. Wide and thick, his cock felt bigger than what she thought her body could accommodate. But hold him she did as he filled her to the absolute brink. Veronica heard moaning and opened her eyes, surprised to find she was the one making noise. Tyler watched her face with a smug smile in place. “Harder,” she whispered. His expression didn’t change, but his tempo did. He sped up his hips. The tile behind her had warmed, but the unyielding surface made his penetration forceful and wonderfully irresistible. As if he wasn’t even impacted by their sexual interlude, he said in a steady voice, “Fast enough or do you want even harder?” His lips pressed tenderly to her jaw as he pumped his cock at a fast even clip. Her satisfied husky voice erupted, and she barely recognized it. “I want even harder. As hard as you can.” “My pleasure.” His cadence increased. From his hammering, Veronica thought she would burst from the movement. She was astonished when the tickling sensation of pre-orgasm lit her core. She was about to climax again. Tyler wasn’t even breathing hard, and she was panting like she’d climbed the side of a mountain. An implosion of colossal pleasure

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struck her body and soul. Her spine curved, and she lifted away from the shower wall back arching with the power of the orgasm. “Yes,” she screamed. The muscles of her vagina rippled against the impossibly wide girth of his cock. Veronica couldn’t see his face but figured he observed her reaction. She hoped he wasn’t disappointed. After several moments of trying to control her breathing without success while he drove his cock rhythmically inside her body, she caught his face between her hands. Staring deeply into his eyes, licked her lips, and waited to watch him come. He gave her a wolfish grin when she met each powerful thrust with a push from her hips. His eyes narrowed, his jaw clamped tight, and he groaned. The heat of his climax washed her already wet core with more warmth. His eyes drifted closed for a moment. “Jesus,” he murmured and flattened himself against her body, pinning her to the tiles. He inhaled deeply and exhaled a long, satisfied sounding breath. The water remained hot and Veronica thought this interlude in the steamy shower stall was the perfect sanctuary from all troubling things. “That was unbelievable.” Veronica stroked the short hair at the nape of his neck. Her legs relaxed sliding from his waist to his very fine sculpted butt. She kissed his stubbly cheek tenderly, closed her eyes. She wished she were in bed. As if reading her thoughts, Tyler washed her quickly, dried her off and tucked her back between the sheets in no time. “Don’t we have to leave the hotel soon?” “No. Just sleep.” Grateful, she dozed off in satisfied slumber. The shrill sound of the hotel phone startled her awake. Tyler rested on top of her. He lifted his head at the second ring. Extracted his body from her on the third, reaching out to snag the fancy handset before the fourth ring finished. “What,” he growled. Her sentiments to the interruption were exactly the same.

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**** Tyler was satisfied all the way to his bones, and the intrusive phone call irritated him more than it should have. He hadn’t wanted to move a single whisker away from his delectable new wife. The voice of his second-in-command at the other end of the line wasn’t welcome. It brought several concerns to the front of his mind that he didn’t want to deal with yet. “There’s been a new call for a job. The husband-for-hire request is for you personally. I’ve started the preliminary investigative work, but she wants a return message for verification.” Snake’s voice came matter of fact through the line as if he didn’t expect to have interrupted anything. Why would he? Tyler hadn’t ever consummated a marriage before. “Get someone else. I can’t do it. If you recall, I got married yesterday.” “So what?” Snake continued, ignoring Tyler’s obviously aggravated tone of voice, “The new client isn’t being auctioned for another week. You can drop off Miss Rule-Breaker wherever she wants to go and be back well before—” “Our marriage was consummated last night.” Tyler cut him off. “The Tiberius Representative has already been and gone this morning, and the paperwork is in the pipeline. It’s permanent for the next three years.” There was silence at the end of the line for a long pause before Snake’s livid tone barked, “She did this, didn’t she? What did she do to you? How did she manage it with all your…talents?” “Doesn’t matter. I’ll be there in an hour or so.” He glanced sideways at a sex-rumpled Veronica and amended his statement. “Maybe two hours.” Snake huffed. “Just so you know. You’ll have to explain to Charles Huntington why you just took yourself off the market. He

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called a few minutes after the girl did to ensure you understood the importance of getting her safely out of her marriage.” “Just send someone else. Jesus. I’m not the only one capable of marrying women.” “And what about Charles? What should I tell him?” Tyler released a heavy sigh. His actions with Veronica were understandably unexpected and he realized his life had just become more complicated. “I’ll call him later.” He owed Charles an explanation. Tyler hoped he’d have one by the time he called. “Should I be worried about you?” “No.” Snake sighed. “I’m not comforted.” “Luckily, you don’t have to be.” Tyler hung up the phone in an effort to evade a developing foul mood. Another glance at his wife’s luscious nude body convinced him he’d made the right choice in keeping her. How he lived his personal life or that he was tired of living it alone was nobody’s business. Reaching out a fingertip, he traced the curve of one breast and ended his touch on the very tip. Her nipple pebbled, and the quiet moan that followed made his cock react appreciatively. He deserved the chance for a life with someone special. Everyone else could go to hell.

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Chapter Ten Veronica didn’t want to move from the bed. Five hundred thoughts coursed through her mind, but the only one she responded to was her desire for sex and for more of it with Tyler. As if he could see in to her mind, he asked, “Ready for more?” “Perhaps.” Veronica rolled to face him as he stroked her breast tenderly. “If you’d rather, we could leave the hotel and go to my house.” “Tempting. Do you have any clothing there for me, perchance?” He laughed. “I don’t keep women’s clothing on hand as a rule, but I’m sure I could dig something up. Or was that a trick question to see if I keep women’s clothes on hand?” “Purely practical. The only clothing I have is the dress I got married in and the robe from earlier this morning, which technically belongs to the hotel. I guess it’s time to get going. We should make plans.” “What plans did you want to make?” Veronica spoke without thinking. “I want to contact a friend to ensure my private interests are intact. Plus, I want to determine the best course of action to find out what happened to Valentina and start looking for her.” “I get the sense that you aren’t going to be the kind of wife that worries about shopping, decorating the house, or feeding me on a regular basis.” One eyebrow went up in question. “I was never the standard homemaker type.” She grimaced and turned her face away. “Good. I never wanted a standard homemaker type.”

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“What type was Katherine?” Veronica could have bitten her tongue off the moment the question slipped out, partly because the question was completely self-centered. But mostly because Tyler hadn’t told her his wife’s name this morning. He’d only mentioned her name in the shower last night. She desperately hoped he didn’t notice. Tyler turned a surprised frown her way. “Why are you so worried about a woman whose been dead for over a decade and a half?” She shrugged. “I don’t know. I’ve never been married before and you have. It was just a question. You don’t have to answer it.” Seriously, what am I doing here with this man? He exhaled deeply. “Katherine was pretty and smart. She had the spirit of a fighter, but was easygoing in nature. She was petite with short, dark hair, and she died way too young. I missed her for a long while, but I’ve moved on. I wish you could.” Nodding and, again, thankful that he didn’t backhand her with every difficult answer like her father would have, she smiled in gratitude. “I’ll try. Thank you for telling me.” He nodded but looked a little uncomfortable. Now that she was tied to an infamous mercenary in marriage, Veronica thought she probably should be more panicked, but he wasn’t as threatening as she had expected. Tyler was intriguing, engaging, and every time she looked at him, she wanted to melt at his feet and beg for sex. She shook that thought off. Stop it. Instead, Veronica knew she needed to be wary. She didn’t expect that this would be a lasting relationship and vowed to guard her heart more closely. A damper would have to be placed on her libido when in his sensory range. It would be a difficult task to manage because whenever he smiled or touched her, she melted like honey. Tyler was a danger all right, but not in the way she had initially expected.

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**** Tyler convinced Veronica to order room service before they left the hotel. She rested in bed while he waited for the food in the outer suite. He reviewed their conversation in the shower the night before and recalled telling her Katherine’s name then, but not this morning. Veronica made a mistake in mentioning his former wife’s name this morning before he did. He tucked the information away for later. The slow-eyed look of desire she imparted prompted him to make love to her in the shower one last time in their honeymoon suite. She was so responsive to his touch that he was hard pressed to keep his hands off of her when they were naked. Given how low he’d let his energy reserves get, he was certainly brimming with newly acquired strength after this morning. And additionally surprised that he had any stamina left after so many rounds of sexual perfection. An outbound phone call prior to the room service order and clothes in Veronica’s size were delivered to the hotel room by the time the food arrived. He was not without resources when the occasion called for it. Mostly, he didn’t relish watching her traipse around in a wedding dress, or a sheer, silky robe at which other men could stare their fill. Her grateful expression was all the thanks he needed, but she did throw her arms around him and kiss his lips. If they hadn’t been overdue to leave the hotel, he might have pushed her onto the bed one more time, but prudence said he needed to take care of his business first. Tyler led her to his vehicle. He slid into the driver’s side after holding the door for her. “Not to sound dramatic, but where are you taking me?” He started his car and turned to her with a grin. “My ultra-secret lair. I’ll have to blindfold you, of course.” “Of course.” She grinned in return. “Where did the search-bots pick you up two months ago? We’ll

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swing by there on the way and collect whatever you left behind.” Her mouth opened, and she sucked in an obviously surprised breath. “Thanks for remembering. Why are you being so nice to me?” “Let’s just say I view you as an investment. We still need to negotiate my fee, baby doll.” Unless I can convince you to stay married to me. Beyond the regular energy it would sustain him with, it would be so very fortunate to have someone he cared about sharing his lonely existence. He wondered what it would take to convince her to remain in his life. “Right. I have some money, not thousands of dollars, but some. Perhaps I could help you in one of your businesses and work it off over time.” A brow curved. “And what do you know about my businesses?” “You operate several.” She proceeded to recite the most lucrative five off the top of her head. “Pretty much anything to do with security, you hold the best contracts. Also, if you don’t have a particular business, you’re good friends with the top people in the specific field.” “Where did you come by this plethora of information about me?” She shook her head. “Let’s just say I have several closely guarded sources.” “Eventually, you’ll have to tell me what you know and where you were for all those years.” “No, I won’t.” She smiled. “I mean, not necessarily.” “I could help you better if I knew.” She shook her head again. “I can help myself without endangering my secrets, thank you very much.” Tyler looked skyward but didn’t comment further. “Where to, baby doll?” Veronica gave him directions to the warehouse where she’d been picked up. Pulling into the rundown and mostly abandoned area, he was surprised that search-bots had stumbled across her in such a neglected area.

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Tyler turned off the engine, and they exited his vehicle. “They found you here? I’m surprised that they were even looking in this area.” She frowned. “Yeah, me too. Makes me wonder if someone told them where I was.” “Who could have told them?” “I’m not telling you about my life, Tyler. No matter how many times you ask.” He growled in frustration. “I’m your husband. You can trust me.” Veronica laughed out loud. “That’s rich. The words ‘husband’ and ‘trust’ do not belong in the same sentence together. Draken was almost my husband, remember? Brant was almost Valentina’s husband.” He shrugged. “I’m not Draken. Or Brant.” “And for that, I’ll be eternally grateful. Please understand I have a lot to lose if you turn out to be a different kind of man than I think you are. I’m very careful. Because I have to be.” He squinted his eyes and murmured in a conspiratorial tone. “What if I took you to my ultra-secret lair without a blindfold? Would that generate any trust?” Her lopsided smile before she answered, “Maybe,” made him ache for her. Veronica turned and entered the dark warehouse building’s sagging, rusted metal double doors. He grabbed a portable light and followed her inside. She made a beeline across the expansive dirty floor to the left and a large dilapidated syntho-wooden crate. She ducked behind it and disappeared from his sight. Tyler headed in her direction, unsure he could stand it if she disappeared again, especially after their recent and very satisfying “honeymoon.” He rounded the corner of the crate and turned on his portable light. Crouched on the floor with her arm buried shoulder deep in an air vent, Veronica squinted when the light hit her face.

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“Sorry.” Tyler pointed the portable beam above where she reached for the items she’d left behind. First came a premium pair of nocks that she’d likely gotten from DarkTech. Second was a battered communication device. She pressed a button, but it apparently didn’t spark to life. “Batteries are dead,” she murmured and placed in on the ground next to the DarkTech binoculars. She slid her arm into the vent almost to her shoulder and pulled out the folded paper note he’d given her. She palmed it carefully in her other hand and reached in again. When she brought out the gun and quickly stood up, Tyler reacted. He had her pinned to the wall with her gun hand beneath his clamped fist before she could raise her weapon to take aim. “What are you doing?” she asked. Her body went stiff beneath his sudden encroachment as her shocked tone registered. She pushed at him, but he held her in place. “I’m wondering why you have a gun.” “Why do you think? It’s dangerous for a woman outside Tiberius perimeters.” Tyler studied her face to see if he could detect a lie. His first impulse when he’d seen the gun was that this had been an elaborate ruse to kill him. In point of fact, he now stood in an abandoned warehouse with a woman he didn’t really know very well, except in the biblical sense, after being lulled with repeated sexual gratification. No one knew where he was and if her intent had been to kill him, he probably deserved it for letting his guard down so completely. Tyler pressed her harder against the wall. “Let go of the gun, doll.” Her fingers relaxed after a few seconds, and he eased the weapon from her fingers without releasing her from the wall. She didn’t stop him from taking the gun out of her hand, but she didn’t go out of her way to help either. “Let go of me.” Tyler backed up a step. She straightened her clothing, dropped on

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one knee to the ground, and retrieved the other items she’d piled next to the vent. Without saying a word, she sprang to her feet, walked past him, and exited the warehouse never giving him a backward glance. Releasing the ammunition magazine from the handle of the gun, he noted that she didn’t have a full clip. Five rounds only. Unusual. Tyler wiped a hand down his face in frustration knowing he’d likely lost whatever ground he’d gained from bringing her here. Shaking off his aggravation, he marched outside and found her seated in his vehicle, sporting a frown and avoiding his gaze. He climbed behind the wheel. “I don’t suppose you could give me the benefit of the doubt regarding what just happened in there.” She turned her head and her petulant expression remained solidly carved. “I don’t suppose I could.” “Women aren’t supposed to carry guns, you know.” “Oh yes,” she grated out between clenched teeth. “I know that very well.” “So let me get this straight. You drug me and trap me into a threeyear marriage for your own purposes. I have no idea where you’ve been for the last seven years of your life, and you won’t give me a hint regarding that time. However, I’m supposed to blindly trust that you aren’t going to kill me when you whip out a gun you aren’t even allowed to carry?” Her face softened, but he was more surprised when her eyes filled with tears. “Well, when you put it that way. I guess I can see where you’d be a little wary.” “Wary? I should have my head examined.” If Veronica had wanted him dead, she would have already attempted murder. Veronica wanted him alive. She needed a man to help her find Valentina. Tyler released a long breath and offered her the gun, the handle pointed to her. “Keep the safety on. Hide it when we’re in Tiberius space.” Veronica’s eyes widened as she accepted her weapon, but her

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whispered remark was stated in an even tone. “I always do.” Tyler hoped it wasn’t a mistake to illegally arm his new wife. **** Tyler had forgotten how loud the warning klaxon was in his ultrasecret lair because he hadn’t heard it in so long. Snake’s shocked and troubled face displayed his supreme displeasure the moment Tyler and Veronica arrived. Likely, his second-in-command was unhappy that Tyler had brought Veronica to the private headquarters housing all of his businesses. The sensitive alarm continued to blare out indicating that a party never before recorded in the building had entered the domain of his secret facility with a gun that likewise wasn’t registered in its system. Snake was also probably not thrilled that Veronica was armed. Tyler spoke before he could. “Get someone to help her with a battery charger to enable her communication device. And shut that siren off.” Without tearing his unhappy gaze from them, Snake lifted his hand and snapped his fingers. A young man named Ivan, recently added to his crew, hurried over. Plus, someone blessedly turned the alarm off. Tyler explained what was needed and Ivan nodded once before rushing away to comply. He settled Veronica at a desk directly outside his office, which was situated in the center of the command room, and motioned Snake to follow him inside. Snake barely got the door closed before he spoke. “You don’t know where she was for almost seven years. If we can’t find out, then she can’t be trusted.” Snake’s vehement attitude was understandable. He didn’t think Veronica could be trusted. Of course, Tyler knew Snake didn’t think anyone could be trusted. “So?” Tyler didn’t want to pick a fight with Snake, but he didn’t think he should have to explain himself in his own place of business.

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“So, you brought her here to our secret headquarters. Why? Why did you bring her here? Couldn’t you have waited? What if she’s a spy? How can you trust her with something so important?” “She’s my wife. My permanent wife for the next three years, in case you weren’t paying attention on the phone earlier.” Tyler knew he should explain his irregular behavior, but he wasn’t in the mood. Besides, he didn’t think Snake would identify with his desire to have Veronica share his life because he was lonely. Snake nodded as if a thought occurred to him. “I know you were expended from the fight with Draken. It’s logical that you were caught off guard. She is sexy and gorgeous. You needed her. I get it.” Tyler frowned because he didn’t think that Snake “got it” at all. Snake missed his frown and started pacing in front of Tyler’s desk as if he pondered a huge problem. “We need a plan. What can we do to get rid of her?” He paused in his step and snapped his fingers. “I know, we dig up a Torcher. Your new wife could be dead by tonight, and you could take this important job from Charles.” “I’m not having Veronica Torched. Someone else will have to take this important job.” “It’s the best solution, Tyler. She would be free and out of the country. Her family would still believe that she was dead and wouldn’t even look for her. And best of all, since it’s within the seventy-two-hour post-wedding window, you don’t have to wait the mandatory sixty-day widower’s period to marry again. You could take this job. Win. Win. Win.” “I’m not getting rid of her. Your petulance regarding my wife isn’t going to make me change my mind.” Tyler wasn’t ready to share his feelings regarding Veronica. He wasn’t sure he understood them himself. He cared about her. She intrigued him. He wanted to help her. That meant a quick trip to Montana and not a fake death before midnight. Snake sighed. “Look, I don’t mean to be difficult. This is just

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damned unusual. You’ve never mentioned wanting a permanent wife. I’m trying to take it in.” Compelled by his conscience, Tyler said, “I know my actions seem rash, but I have my reasons. I’m only here to get some information on Valentina, and then we’re going to investigate her disappearance. Keep things running. I won’t be gone long.” Snake grabbed his arm before he could leave the room. “Just because you’re suddenly lovesick doesn’t mean you should compromise the rest of us. Do I understand by the shrill alarm upon her entrance that you’re letting her carry a weapon? Are you crazy?” “Back off.” Tyler removed Snake’s hand and resisted the sincere urge to break it. He wasn’t used to having his decisions questioned. Although, to Snake’s point, he’d never made any impulsive decisions. All his previous actions to date were calculated down to the last nanosecond. He’d been on a roller coaster ride since he’d met Veronica, and while sometimes it made him feel a little queasy, he wasn’t ready to get off the ride yet. “This business is larger than your love life.” Snake sent his gaze briefly to where Veronica sat outside his office. “Lots at stake to suddenly confide in someone like her.” Tyler glared. He’d built this business himself. He’d given it lots of time and energy. It wasn’t like he was giving up. “I’ve been doing this for a very long time. It’s my business, and here’s a news flash, I don’t answer to you. Why have you chosen today to question my integrity?” “It’s not your integrity I have a problem with, it’s hers.” Snake twisted his head again and glanced out the window of his office to where Veronica sat comfortably behind the desk, head bent studying her communications device. Ivan was bent over attaching a charger to it. Turning back, Snake asked, “What are you going to do if she is a spy?” “She’s not.” “You’d better hope not.”

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“Why are you being such a prick? Are you jealous or something? Please explain this vehement dislike. Do you know something that I don’t? Some report you want to share with me? Do you want a permanent wife?” “No.” Snake huffed. “I’m not jealous or looking for a wife. I just think you should have left your private life out of this business, bro. You wouldn’t have put up with any of us doing it.” Tyler inhaled and controlled the urge to start a brawl. Snake tilted his head to one side. “I’d love to see the look on your face if Duster brought one of his countless Goth chicks into the facility, armed no less, and asked you to trust she wasn’t trying to smoke us all where we stood in our unsuspecting boots.” Tyler took another deep breath and tried to see things from Snake’s perspective. He did have a point, but Tyler was in charge. He didn’t brook any argument from anyone about how he ran his business or what he did with his life, the personal one or the business one. The fact that he’d never enjoyed much a private life shouldn’t preclude him from one now, and he resented the lecture. “Your concern has been noted. Get used to the fact that Veronica’s a part of my life now. She has skills and contacts. She’ll be an asset.” “Except that you need to run off and do her bidding first. Well, here’s a news flash for you, Mr. Pussy-Whipped, we need you here.” “Shut up. In case you’ve forgotten, you all work for me. If that’s a problem, then feel free to terminate your contract, but she stays. Until someone brings me a vid-recording of her ratting us out to Tiberius Security, then shut up and move on. Got me?” “Got you. I won’t let a chick come between us. However, I may have been out of line in trying to be the voice of reason. Look at it from my perspective. Since change is always inevitable, I’ll adapt and overcome.” Tyler nodded but didn’t believe Snake had given up his first impression or accompanying snotty attitude so easily. There would be

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further discussion on Veronica. “Except for me being exempt as a part of the wedding auction business, everything else should remain unchanged.” “Well, you haven’t participated in any auctions since you met her anyway so I guess I shouldn’t be so astounded. Okay if we hire a replacement?” “Sure. Got someone in mind?” Tyler relaxed for the first time since he’d entered his office. He sat down heavily in his executive desk chair. Snake shrugged one shoulder. “Maybe. He’s kind of young, but we need someone. I’m checking his references. If he’s clean, I’ll set up a meet for your approval.” Tyler nodded once. “Good.” “Congratulations on your marriage. She’s gorgeous, and I appreciate that you think she’s an asset. But I reserve the right to be guarded at first blush.” “Yes, you do,” Tyler said and relaxed some more. “Personally, I’m betting that she’ll kick your ass the first chance she gets, and I genuinely hope I’m there to see it.” Tyler rolled his eyes. “Why would you think that?” “We know zip about the almost seven years she spent in the wind. Why can’t we find even a hint?” “Because women have more to lose than the regular Joe citizen. She was motivated to hide.” Tyler shrugged. Snake threw his hands in the air. “My point exactly. She’d have to be a former combatant female to have lasted so long all on her lonesome. Or more likely she was affiliated with someone who gave her God only knows what kind of training and kept her off the system. Not too many folks who could do that.” He leaned two fists on Tyler’s desk. “Not even us.” Tyler sighed. “I’ll be sure and call you in to witness my imminent ass-kicking if and when it happens. Otherwise, don’t worry about her.”

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Snake was right about one thing. Tyler was going to have to get some answers from her eventually. Perhaps if he shared his past, she’d be more willing to share hers. The phone on his desk buzzed once interrupting his train of thought. It was the secure line. The one he shared with only two other people, Charles Huntington and Zachary Valetta. Assuming it was Charles wanting to discuss the marriage for hire he was going to have to turn down, he picked it up before it finished the second ring and prepared to explain. Snake shook his head once before he left the room. “What’s up?” Tyler said instead of hello. “Heard you got married today?” The rich unexpected sound of Zachary Valetta’s voice carried over the line. Tyler hadn’t realized how much he missed his friend until he heard his question. “I’m amazed you heard about it so fast.” “You aren’t the only one with access to secret sources. The truly amazing part is that you made it permanent. So…why did you do that?” Tyler mentally sighed and wondered how Zachary always had private information so quickly. “Personal reasons.” “Really.” It wasn’t a question. It was a single-worded, very sarcastic statement of disbelief. “Yeah. And I seem to remember a certain undercover enforcer named Evie Marsh as being your personal reason. You, of all people, don’t deserve to give me shit about this.” “Oh, yeah? Who’s the sap in love now?” “Shut up.” “Oh, please! After all the crap you gave me about Evie when we first met, I deserve a few jabs.” This time amusement edged Zachary’s tone. “Maybe. What difference does it make why I got married?” “Actually, in the great scheme of things, it doesn’t. But I need you to look into another matter for me.”

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“Can it wait? I’m about to leave on my extended honeymoon to do a favor for my new wife.” “How long will you be gone? I don’t think this matter can wait much longer.” Tyler sighed. “What is it?” “Matthew Westland is making noise again. The fifth anniversary of his cousin Evie Marsh’s disappearance recently passed, and he wants to know what really happened to her.” “Tell him she really fled to Canada like we’ve always said.” “It’s not working anymore. He’s been making inquiries and asking favors of several big-name friends who support his disgraced senator father. I’m worried about what he’ll discover if he digs too deep into Evie’s past.” Tyler heaved another breath. “I’m on my way to Montana this afternoon. My new wife’s sister is missing. And unlike Evie Marsh, I don’t know where she is exactly.” “I need you to take this off my plate, Tyler. In my wife’s delicate condition, I can’t have her stressed.” “How is my first wife Tiffany?” Tyler thought about the first woman he’d married, which had brought about the unusual husbandfor-hire business he now ran. He and Zachary had given her a new identity, including a new face and a new name. The name Tiffany had been Tyler’s idea. He smiled in memory of Evie’s dispute over her new name. Tyler had temporarily married Evie Marsh as a favor to Zachary because she had been prosecuted and found guilty of moral depravity. She’d been sentenced to a choice of either prison or the penal marriage auction block over their affair. Evie had been an undercover enforcer for the Lawmen directly before the Tiberius Group had taken over. Sent to infiltrate Zachary’s life, Evie’s mission hadn’t gone according to plan when she and Zachary had fallen in love. “Swollen, cranky and poised any moment to deliver our first

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child. Will you please look into this for us?” Tyler sighed. “Can it wait a couple of days until I get back from Montana?” Zachary cleared his throat quietly. “I guess.” “Thanks. I’ll have Snake do some prelims so I’m up to speed when I get back.” “Good. So are you and the new wife planning a family soon?” Tyler closed his eyes and shook his head. “I’m not even sure she won’t run given half a chance. And once I find her sister, she may be through with me completely.” “Want me to have Tiffany put in a good word for you?” Zachary asked and then laughed. Tiffany Elizabeth Huntington Valetta was the new identity Tyler had helped create for Evie Marsh so she could share her life with Zachary. At the time, Tyler had been adamantly opposed to Zachary’s instant infatuation with Evie. She’d infiltrated his life and his heart very quickly. Now Tyler understood that phenomenon a little better. “No thanks, but if you loan me your jet, I could get done with my search in Montana faster.” “Fine. But keep in touch in case this matter with Evie’s cousin escalates. “Right. Call me if anything changes.” “I will. And if she doesn’t run from you, bring your new wife to Eastlake City. I can’t wait to meet the woman who convinced you to settle down. I know Tiffany would love to meet her and chat.” “Very funny.” Tyler smiled anyway even though Zachary was giving him shit. The bond of friendship they shared was one of the most important in his life. “Are you sure you don’t want me to put in a good word for you and extol on all your best traits?” “No, thanks all the same.” “I can still ask Tiffany to do it?” Zachary’s sudden laughter over the line gave Tyler a warmth in his chest he’d missed. It would be

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good to see him. “Again. No, but thanks all the same. I’m sure Tiffany would not extol on any of my virtues. I’m looking to stay married not be murdered in my sleep.” “You and Tiffany should bury the hatchet and try to get along. You’re like a brother to me, Tyler. The only one I have.” The word “brother,” which had been resonating in his heart and mind for weeks, hit Tyler square in the chest once again. “Thanks. I won’t make any promises regarding either your wife or mine, but I look forward to riding in your jet.” Zachary was the only other person in the world who knew about his brother, Tommy, and what had happened to him. The pain of his loss was never too far away. The truth was he fully understood why Veronica wanted to find Valentina. Better than anyone, he knew the guilt of losing a sibling who shouldn’t have been endangered in the first place. Zachary laughed. “Right. I look forward to meeting your wife.” “Yeah. I’ll bet you do. Give Tiffany all my love, hugs and kisses, won’t you?” “Shut up.” “See ya, Zachary.” Tyler laughed and hung up the phone. The sound of Veronica’s forced cough halted his amusement. “Who is Tiffany?”

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Chapter Eleven Thomas “Brutal” Blackthorn entered the reception area outside the office of his brother-in-law Matthew Westland in a rush. He wasn’t truly hurried, but Matthew’s secretary, Sharon, always seemed so uncomfortable when he came in for any reason regardless of whether the appointment was formal or casual. Brutal, unsure of exactly why she was so nervous around him, wanted to get the difficult social amenities over with as soon as possible. So he always tried to hasten his time through reception. Sharon’s already stiff spine snapped even tighter as he entered and passed her desk practically at a trot. “I’m here to see Matt,” Brutal blurted. “He’s expecting me.” Sharon kept her rigid posture in check and said politely, “Go right in.” “Thanks.” Brutal smiled to hopefully alleviate some tension, but her reaction was always the same, straight lipped, teeth clenched, eyes averted, and limited conversation. One of these days she’d straighten her posture too far and her spinal column would shoot right out of her neck and spear into the ceiling. The fanciful image kept the smile on his face although he shouldn’t be so elated that he made Sharon uncomfortable. It wasn’t very well-mannered. Perhaps that was why she was so anxious around him. However, what Brutal lacked in polite social graces, he made up for in utter love for his unexpected family. Unexpected because he’d spent so much of his adult life alone. He’d never expected the gift of a family.

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His wife Hannah was the most important member of his recently formed family, but along with his permanent spouse came an extended family he’d grown quite attached to over the past several years. Hannah’s sister Sophie was married to Matthew Westland, owner of the very successful import–export business called Westland Industries, where Brutal worked occasionally when Matthew needed a particular security issue resolved quietly. Having been summoned by Matthew yesterday over a secret matter he wouldn’t even hint at, Brutal headed through the maze of the Westland Industry’s penthouse offices to see what had his normally reserved brother-in-law in such an agitated state. Walking down the short hallway towards Matthew’s office, Brutal considered how drastically his life had changed in the past five years. Five years ago last month, he’d been completely alone in the world. Having lost his entire family in his teens and devoid of close relatives, he had been living like a hermit on a mining planet in space, doing his best to find Thorium-Z and to eek out a living. Brutal remembered how drastically his life had changed as he contemplated a temporary marriage to a stranger in order to continue mining his capricious claim. Hannah had become his wife and ultimately made him rich beyond his wildest dreams, plus she had located the richest vein of Thorium-Z to date in that stubborn mine on the moon of Mars, making him more money than he’d ever contemplated in any previous wild imaginings. With the birth of their son Ty two years ago, Brutal had discovered the unexpected but satisfying realm of fatherhood. With Hannah as his wife, he hadn’t believed he could be happier until Ty had come along. He’d named his son after his long-dead brother. Hannah had insisted. Tyler Gregory Blackthorn. The Gregory was after his father. Brutal shook off the reverie as he entered Matthew’s large private

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office. “Brutal. Thanks for coming.” “No problem. What’s up? You sounded very clandestine on the phone. I’m intrigued.” “I’m looking into my cousin’s disappearance again.” Brutal eased himself into one of the comfortable chairs in front of Matthew’s desk. “The cousin that went missing several years ago?” “Yes.” “Why? I thought you found out she went to Canada. Didn’t she call you?” Matthew lifted a manila folder from his desk and handed to Brutal. “Yes. Evie called me in a rushed fifteen second untraceable communications call and told me not to worry. She said she was leaving the country.” Brutal glanced inside the folder and found a blurry copy of a legal document regarding one Zachary Valetta and his lawsuit for moral depravity against…Evie Marsh, Matthew’s cousin. “What is this?” Brutal held up the paper. “It’s a document that was never logged into public record.” Brutal’s eyebrows went up. “Where did you get it?” “Someone sent it to me confidentially. Apparently, it ended up in a pile of classified papers due to be shredded. Given the name of the plaintiff, it’s not a stretch to wonder why cloak-and-dagger tactics were used to hide it. Zachary Valetta might have a lot to lose if this document were brought to light.” Brutal shrugged. “Valetta is a prosecutor. It’s his job to charge people with crimes. Just because he filed a suit against your cousin doesn’t mean he knows anything about her or that he did anything wrong?” “Beyond why it was never recorded as a public document and ended up in a shred pile, I’d agree with you.” “I sense a big but coming,” Brutal murmured. “Very funny. Along with the misfiled document there was an

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accompanying news article.” Brutal opened the file again. An old syntho-news page from the Eastlake society page spilled out. He scanned the article and accompanying photo. Zachary Valetta was pictured with a beautiful dark-eyed brunette as they came out of a restaurant. The woman wasn’t identified, but Brutal knew it was Evie Marsh. He’d seen several old family photos and candid pictures of her on the walls of Matt’s home. “Evie was dating him right before the charges were filed. They labeled her the prosecutor’s paramour a week before she disappeared. Evie’s been gone for over five years, and less than a month after this newspaper article came out Zachary Valetta married some fresh faced blonde bimbo related to a high Tiberius supporter from Maine.” “Who?” “Charles Huntington.” Brutal raised his eyebrows in surprise. Charles Huntington was a big name in Tiberius circles. “I’m sorry, Matthew. I know Evie’s sudden departure was a surprise, but I don’t know what you think I can do to help you?” Matthew sighed. “You’re very good at getting information that regular Tiberius-approved channels don’t reveal. Can you do some digging for me?” “What am I looking for?” “The legal document says that Evie Marsh was found guilty and that her punishment was the choice of either prison or the state penal wedding auction. Since she didn’t mention any of this in her phone call to me, I think she might have chosen marriage to stay out of jail. Could you please find out who got the high bid? I want to know who she married and where they went.” Brutal grinned. “I’ll look into it. Depending on what I find, what are you going to do?” “I’ve already contacted Zachary Valetta’s office in Eastlake to inquire as to his knowledge. His staff blew me off. I may pay him a

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surprise visit and try to rattle some information out of him. Want to go on a field trip with me?” Brutal shrugged. “Maybe. What do you hope to gain?” “I want to make sure that the most powerful man in the Eastlake City prosecutor’s office whose eyes are firmly planted on the White House didn’t do anything to Evie to keep her quiet about a moral dilemma.” Brutal stood. “Even if he did, it’s likely he covered his tracks.” He waved the folder. “This may be all the information there is. Maybe she really did run away to Canada to escape all of this.” “If that were true, why didn’t she tell me?” Brutal shrugged. “Because she was embarrassed? Because she didn’t want you, her only living relative in the world, to find out about her misdeeds? There’re lots of reasons.” “Evie was a Lawman like her father. She loved her job. She would never ever do anything illegal to jeopardize it. If she was found guilty of some morals crime, then she was framed.” Brutal flipped open the file and studied the document, searching for a date. Spotting it, he said, “This incident and her subsequent punishment happened only a few months before the Tiberius Group took over. It’s likely this was a precursor to all of that foolishness.” “All the more reason to look into it.” Matthew sighed and deflated a little. Hands on hips, he said, “Please help me.” “Why is this so important?” Matthew drilled a ferocious gaze towards him. “Evie didn’t have any family left except for me. I helped her get the job as a Lawman in the building directly next to Valetta’s. If he did anything to her, I want him to pay for it.” “Maybe she’s truly is in Canada, having fled whatever despicable marriage was arranged for her.” “Proof of that would be a relief. Please find out for certain, all right?” Brutal nodded. “I’ll see what I can do.”

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**** Veronica wondered when she had turned into such a jealous shrew. Overhearing the last part of his conversation with regard to ‘Tiffany’ made her blood boil for some unfathomable reason. Tyler narrowed his focus before answering. “Tiffany was my first wife in my husband for hire business. She was the reason I came up with the idea to marry women for money in the first place.” “Do you often send all your love, hugs, and kisses her way?” He grinned. “Only when I want to annoy her.” Veronica couldn’t stop her next question. “And does she return your love?” “Don’t be ridiculous. She barely tolerates my existence. Besides, I was talking to her husband, Zachary.” “I see.” She was totally miffed by his “ridiculous” sign-off and hated her reaction. “I very much doubt that.” He lifted his eyes to the ceiling briefly before adding, “Tiffany Valetta is eight-and-a-half-months pregnant and the wife of my oldest friend in the world. I only married her temporarily as a favor to him.” His grin widened. “Jealous?” “No. Just curious.” Veronica wanted to smack herself in the head but halted the action as soon as his friend’s name circulated in her brain and found meaning. “Zachary Valetta is your oldest friend in the world? He’s a big shot.” Tyler leaned his head back as if he were surprised. “How do you know that?” “Everyone knows that. He’s the current district attorney for Eastlake City. With support from his other good friend Charles Huntington, Zachary Valetta is a much purported shoo-in for consideration as the next president. There is lots of speculation on the streets regarding his future.”

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“I wasn’t aware that the streets you previously traveled on included political rallies.” “I expect you’d be very surprised to find out all the things I know.” She crossed her arms and allowed a smug expression to encompass her face. “Hmm. I suspect you’re right. Care to share?” She smiled and shook her head. “You don’t have to be jealous of Tiffany, you know.” “I told you, I’m not jealous.” Okay, I’m a little jealous. Time to change the subject. “How long before we leave for Montana?” He grinned presumably at her thinly veneered tactics to end the conversation on jealousy. “Soon. We need to chat first.” “Why? Time is wasting away. We should get going.” Tyler, his gaze firmly skewering her where she stood, walked around his desk and parked his butt on the edge. “There are things I’d like to know before I risk my life for you.” “Like what?” It was clear he wasn’t going to be easy to sway. Seeing him lean against his desk right now reminded her of the crappy motel where they’d met the first time. He looked just as sexy today. She’d have to give him some tidbit of information. What could she afford to divulge that wouldn’t matter? “When we get to Montana, where are you going to look for Valentina?” She uncrossed her arms and put her hands on her hips. “I thought we could start with her husband. Isn’t that the obvious place to begin the investigation?” “Investigation? Is that what we’re doing? Wow. I just learned something. I didn’t know you harbored the desire to be a Lawman.” His satisfied smile was not unlike his facial expression after he climaxed. Veronica had to work hard not to utter a gasp. It was apparent that the man she’d married had some sort of mind reading abilities where she was concerned and it made her extremely uncomfortable.

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“Very funny. I just don’t know much about Dylan Norton.” Veronica looked away in case her shock registered. She’d longed to be a Lawman since the day she’d found out the law enforcement group existed. And for just as long, she’d known that she would never be allowed to apply for a job with them. Her father had squashed that dream a long time ago even before the Tiberius Group had made working women practically nonexistent. Once out on the streets that first year after running away from home, someone had used that particular piece of information to trick her into a bad situation. She’d been so young and foolish to believe someone would allow her dreams to come true. It had taken her years, and a life-threatening incident, to overcome that ultimate betrayal. Tyler spoke, disturbing her memories. “I thought you knew him. He stayed several summers with his Aunt Carlotta, the cook at your father’s home. I assumed it was how Valentina got to know him.” “Dylan didn’t come to the house while I lived there.” Veronica hooked her thumbs in the front pockets of the jeans she wore and looked at the floor. The very clothes gracing her back were courtesy of Tyler. The components of his generosity were piling up, and her guilt over it sank in all the way to her bones. He deserved a little cooperation. “Ah. That’s right. You were gone for all those years. Where were you, by the way?” he asked quickly. Tyler was trying to catch her off guard, and with her guilty conscience at the surface, she almost answered him. She closed her mouth as her head snapped up to respond. “Since when did this become about me again? Montana, remember? Missing sister. Ring any bells?” She crossed her arms again. Lips pursed, she gave him a narrow-eyed stare. She would have to be wary twenty-four hours a day while in his company. Arching an eyebrow, he returned a volley of perturbed attitude. “Don’t kid yourself. It’s always been about you, doll. I wouldn’t

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be doing this if it weren’t for you. Trust me, I have plenty of other paying gigs to keep me busy without running around the country hunting for one missing chick pro bono.” Her smirk faded and she deflated a little. “I see.” She recognized the distrustful injured tone in those two words. Veronica hated that tone. For once, she wanted to relax and confide in someone for a change. She’d spent the bulk of her adult life wary and frightened of everyone. “You’re right, of course. I shouldn’t be so demanding given all that I’ve done to you.” She took a deep breath and a step closer to her husband. His spine straightened slightly as if he were bearing up for what she would say next. Good heavens, she was married to a mercenary. Why did she ever think this would be a good idea? “Listen to me, Veronica. I’m willing to help look for your sister, but once we visit her husband’s home, I don’t have the authority to look any further. Quite frankly, I can just call Dylan and ask him a few questions. And it’s certainly much easier than making the trip across the country.” His quiet summary of where things stood touched her. And he was right. Given all that she’d done to him in order to gain his help, it was a wonder he wasn’t screaming. He waited quietly for her to respond. Veronica rocked back and forth from one foot to another as she considered his very rational concerns. He was right. Why traipse all the way to Montana when a phone call was faster? So far out of her element, she needed a confidant to verbally test the best strategy. Skip was unavailable. Her communication device was charging up, but she hadn’t been able to establish a connection, perhaps due to the fortified structure of Tyler’s headquarters. His big, muscular body resting against the desk made her remember all the intimacies they’d shared in the past twenty-four hours. The texture of his warm naked skin as he made love to her barreled to the surface of her mind.

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Taking a breath, his scent came with it along with more memories of their bodies locked in passionate embrace. The sudden and commanding urge to bury her face against his chest for reassurance rose, and she fought it. She hadn’t ever relied on physical comfort in her life. Even though the first time they’d met she had wanted to embrace him. For a big burly mercenary, he certainly didn’t give off a hostile vibe at least not towards her. A disturbing thought, regarding simply calling Dylan in Montana to check on Valentina, niggled its way through Veronica’s brain as she sifted through the sexual wonders of the past several hours. “Why would Dylan call my father and not you?” “What?” Veronica ignored her own advice and stepped closer. “He had to know that my father wasn’t going to help him. The very nature of how they were able to marry should have told him that. So why would he call?” She looked into Tyler’s gorgeous eyes. “He would have had better luck in calling you.” Tyler shrugged his shoulders. “Good question, but I don’t know the answer. It’s not like I would have taken Valentina back. I don’t, as a rule, give refunds.” “But you know what I mean. Dylan had to know that my father didn’t want him as a son-in-law. Why would he contact him for help in locating her?” “As I mentioned before, maybe your father lied to you.” Veronica put her hands to her face, and her gaze shifted to Tyler’s chest. “I said that to him at the time, but he seemed pretty confident. He told me to have you check it out if I didn’t believe him.” She stared and remembered something else. Her father was also the one that suggested she make her marriage to Tyler permanent. Veronica genuinely hoped that she hadn’t been set up by her father to further some hidden agenda. Tyler leaned forward and eliminated the bulk of the space between their bodies. “Let me make a phone call to Dylan and inquire

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if Valentina’s even missing.” She nodded. “Okay. Thank you.” Close enough to throw herself in his arms, she hesitated even though it was exactly where she wanted to go. Tyler, seemingly plucking the very thoughts from her mind, opened his arms and gestured her for an embrace. She fell against his body, wrapped her limbs around his waist, buried her face in his throat, and soaked up his offered comfort like a lifeline for her wounded soul. Veronica had never felt as comforted as she did in Tyler’s arms. A frightening realization since she didn’t expect to get to keep him forever. But she wished she could. Suddenly, three years didn’t seem like long enough. **** Tyler hugged Veronica tight to his frame and bent to kiss the top of her head. “You okay?” She sucked in a breath, squeezed him once, and nodded against his throat. A muffled, “Yes,” came from somewhere around his chest. “Thank you.” After several moments, Veronica loosened her grasp, stepped back, and quickly swiped at the tears trailing down her cheeks. “If it’s any consolation, I don’t think Dylan would hurt her.” “What makes you think so?” Tyler tilted his head to one side until he heard a snap and the tension released a little in his neck. Pushing out a sigh he said, “As a regular procedure in my business, I checked him out before I took the contract to marry Valentina. I didn’t want to take her to a worse situation.” A quick bark of laughter rushed through her lips. “And did you do a check on everyone in Valentina’s family.” He smiled. “Yes.”

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“So that’s how you knew it wasn’t Valentina that night in the crappy motel.” She flushed. “Yep.” One of the fondest memories he now tucked away was of that night in the crappy motel. “Why did you agree to help me?” He shrugged noncommittally. “What else do you know? What did you find out about Dylan before Valentina married him?” “It’s what I don’t know that bothers me. I want to know where you were for almost seven years that doesn’t leave a single trail.” Veronica’s eyes widened like saucers. “Again. This isn’t about me, and I’m not telling you what you want to know.” He crossed his arms. “Why not?” “I don’t know you well enough. You’re my lord and master according to the government in power. How can I trust that you won’t betray me at the first opportunity?” “Betray you? That’s rich. You were the one who made the whole ‘lord-and-master gig’ happen by making things permanent, doll. Want to tell me what happened last night so you’d register positive this morning?” “We had sex.” Veronica looked down at the floor. “Oh? You think? I’ve never been so drunk that I couldn’t recall sex. What else was in the wine?” “I’m sure I don’t know.” “So after you got me drunk, was your honeymoon night all you expected it would be?” “No.” “No?” “It would have been nice if you’d recalled it the next morning. I can’t help if you drank an entire bottle of wine, got shitfaced, and couldn’t remember what happened between us.” Tyler laughed out loud. “God, you’re brazen. Hmm. Yeah. I’m sure it’s all my fault. For the record, one bottle of wine isn’t enough

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to get me so drunk that I can’t remember. Have you noticed how big I am?” She smiled and shrugged. “Maybe it was very potent wine.” “Or more likely I was drugged.” “Drugged?” Her laughed sounded forced. “What an imagination you have.” “I could have my blood analyzed. We have a lab here in the building. What would they find I wonder?” Her eyes mashed shut. “I’m sure I don’t know.” “Based on my symptoms this morning, I’m guessing that there was a mood-altering depressant with suggestibility features so that I wouldn’t remember anything.” Veronica uttered a whispered, “Damn,” but her eyes remained closed. “So was it you or your father who spiked the wine?” “My father.” Her eyes popped open. “But you knew about it, right?” She nodded. “I need you to help me and not ask questions.” Tyler had let Veronica make things permanent between them. Now that he’d chastised her, it would be dreadful for her to learn he hadn’t been under the influence of drugs or alcohol on their wedding night. “You’re willing to admit you allowed me to be drugged so as to make permanent an obviously temporary marriage, but you won’t give me a hint about your past. What is so appalling that I can’t know about it?” Her head dipped and she stared at the floor between them. “Maybe I’m not proud of the things I did to survive when I was on the streets.” “Maybe I don’t care about that.” “Maybe I don’t believe you. Men always care about the women they’re fucking. But they only care about all the former men who’ve shared the same space between her legs.”

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“Then you don’t know me at all. For the record, I only care about any future men that want to share the same space that I currently enjoy. Them I’ll kill. Anyone in your past is for you to deal with appropriately.” “Do you really mean that?” Her head shot up as she asked her question. She sent him such a beseeching gaze of longing he almost faltered and confessed everything. Tyler took a deep breath. He didn’t want to know if she harbored some crush on a former lover she couldn’t have. He wasn’t opposed to giving her the opportunity to take revenge on those who’d hurt her. “I do.” “After we find Valentina and ensure her safety, I want to disappear. I’d like to go into Canada. You won’t have to stay married to me for three years. You can have your life back. And your lucrative husband-for-hire business.” “How? We’d have to do something desperate like fake your death.” Nodding, she focused her gaze at a point somewhere over his shoulder. “Yes, we would.” “Faking someone’s death is much more complicated than you realize. There are highly sensitive documents that only the Tiberius Group have access to which are needed to accomplish a proper Torch job.” “No, it’s not…” Veronica trailed off as if she suddenly realized where she was and to whom she was talking. Her eyes widened slightly, and she clamped her lips shut. “It is, too.” He persisted. “Tiberius Security has a whole division devoted to uncovering fraudulent fake deaths with particular emphasis on young women of marriageable age. Why would you believe that Torching isn’t hard to do?” She shrugged and didn’t meet his eyes. “Do you know a good Torcher, or you are a good Torcher?” Veronica inhaled deeply. Tyler didn’t think she was going to say

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anything and wondered if she would ever breathe again. She exhaled in a rush and blurted, “It’s what I’ve been occupied with most recently. I just never thought I’d have to do it for myself.” Tyler was stunned. “You’re a Torcher?” She lifted her head and focused her gaze on his incredulous expression. “Yes.” “Which company?” Veronica shook her head and rolled her eyes. She wasn’t giving him the name of the business she and Skip managed. “Never mind. How long have you been Torching?” “A couple of years. At least until a few months ago. I discontinued my business to allow myself to be captured by Tiberius Security so I could save my sister.” “Why didn’t you just have Valentina Torched?” “I would have, if she hadn’t been determined to go to Montana and live with her true love.” “Jesus.”

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Chapter Twelve “Why are you so surprised? Women are more capable than you realize.” Veronica wanted to scream. Men never believed women were capable of anything. “I don’t harbor the same feelings as the Tiberius hierarchy regarding women, and you should know that about me already so get off your high horse. I just wondered why I couldn’t find any information on you.” Veronica smiled. “And now you know.” Tyler rolled his eyes. “But only for the past couple of years. What about before that?” “Not telling.” His long sigh of resignation was the only sound in the room. “Okay. Then do you have any records on the girls you Torched?” She shook her head. “Not any more.” But Skip had a copy of them tucked away for emergencies. Tyler cocked his head to one side. “Does anyone else you know or worked with have a copy of the records? Surely you had help.” She lifted her shoulders briefly. “Perhaps.” “You are so stubborn.” She changed the subject. “From all you learned about Dylan, do you think he would hurt Valentina?” Tyler shrugged. “I didn’t study him. I did a cursory check when I initialized the contract between us. “Dylan Norton looks good on paper. His business is legit, his place is humble but decent, and he seemed like a nice enough guy when I dropped her off at his ranch. He was glad to see her and acted

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grateful to marry her. She was glad to see him. They looked very happy together.” Veronica nodded as if satisfied. “Actually, I’d be more apt to believe she left him after she spent some quality time in Montana.” “Why?” “Valentina didn’t strike me as the type of woman who’d settle into ranch life easily. It’s hard work. She’s too used to having things done for her.” “She’s not the spoiled rotten princess you’ve obviously decided she is.” “I never said she was spoiled rotten or a princess. But she’s not you, doll.” “Oh? And what does that mean?” She took an aggressive step toward him. Tyler rolled his eyes. “Calm down. I meant it as a compliment. You’re a fighter. You’ve been living on the street, surviving, for the bulk of your adult life. Meanwhile, she’s been pampered.” Veronica’s shoulders slumped as if the weight of a thousand pounds had just landed on her back. “That’s because I left her behind.” She sniffed and her eyes filled with unwanted tears. Great gulping sobs broke forth before she could stop the flow. She couldn’t help as years of pent up guilt crashed down around her. The consequences from her long ago actions had finally come full circle to bite her in the butt. Unfortunately, Valentina was paying the price. **** Tyler found he was unprepared for an emotional wife. Circling his desk, he wrapped his arms around her. He expected her to kick his ass for trying to comfort her and looked out to see if Snake was watching through the glass walls of his office. Snake was

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otherwise occupied. “I’m sorry.” He squeezed her tight and she clung to him like a life preserver battling storm tossed seas. She cried for several minutes while he held her close. Her quiet tortured voice caught him off guard. “I deserted her for almost seven years without a word. The night I left, she begged to go with me, but I wouldn’t take her. “When I came back a few months ago, I expected her to be furious, but she hugged me and told me she knew I’d return. She had complete faith that I would come back and save her. Can you believe that? I promised to return before she had to marry a monster.” “You kept your word.” “Actually, you kept my word. But now she’s gone according to my father. I don’t understand it. Was he lying?” “Let me make a phone call. I’ll know more then.” Tyler patted her on the back, released her, and exited his office to have a call put through to Montana. “Snake, I need to patch a call through to Dylan Norton in Montana, ASAP.” “Why?” “Just do it. Why are you being such a pain in the ass?” “I’m not your secretary bitch.” Snake glanced into Tyler’s office. His mouth flattened into a thin disapproving line when he stared at Veronica. “I’m not hers, either.” Tyler strode over and filled Snake’s personal space. “Stop it. Get over the fact that she’s in my life now.” “I don’t trust her. Let me do some further checking before you go off half cocked and get into a bad situation.” “Where are you going to look that we didn’t check already? What do you think you’re going to find in this magical information place?” “I don’t know, and that’s a big problem for me. It should be a big problem for you too except that you’re thinking with your dick right now and not your brain.”

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Tyler clenched fists to keep from punching Snake’s teeth to his ankles. Through gritted teeth he said, “Please make the call to Montana. And for the record, my personal life is none of your fucking business.” Snake snapped his fingers in the air again and Ivan ran over to take the requested information to put the call through and dashed away quickly as if sensing their discord. Before Tyler could step away Snake added, “Your business used to be marrying women temporarily for fat wads of money. Remember how you used to be able to make a living? Wasn’t that just yesterday?” “Yes. And now I’ll focus on something else. By the way, waiting for me to apologize is a waste of your time.” Tyler hated disagreements with Snake, especially since he understood his secondin-command’s anger. “You’re letting a woman come between us.” “No. You are. She’s my wife.” “For how long?” “At least three years.” No sense in mentioning that Veronica had offered to be Torched. Snake would have had the paperwork completed before Tyler took a step toward his office. Snake’s exasperated gaze searched the room’s vaulted ceiling. “This isn’t like you, Tyler. If I acted like you are right now, I hope you’d have the balls to set me straight.” Tyler glanced at the floor and counted to five slowly. Looking at Snake again, he said in a low tone, “All right. I know this is unusual. I’m not used to sharing my feelings.” “It’s me. What is going on? Why consummate? Why her? Why now? I mean. I get it.” Snake glanced at Veronica again. “She’s hot. No doubt about it, but yesterday was like any other day until you found out about her auction. Twenty-four hours later, you’re permanently married, turning down jobs for our benefactor Charles so that you can head to Montana, to look for a girl who’s someone else’s

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problem.” Tyler nodded. He knew he needed to give Snake some sort of explanation, but didn’t think he could articulate his feelings appropriately. “It’s hard to explain. I’m doing this for Veronica. But it’s more than just sex. There is something about her that I can’t even clarify in my own mind. But I need her. I need her in my life. If that isn’t a good enough explanation for you, then I’m sorry.” Snake stared at him with brows furrowed for a long time without saying anything. He inhaled a deep breath and let it out before saying, “Let me do an intensive work up with our deep sources and check the Tiberius government databases—” “No. It’s too dangerous to search that intensively without getting caught or keeping her a secret.” “It won’t take me long. Tell you what, if I can’t find any skeletons in her past, I’ll break down, kiss her ring finger, and spring for a wedding gift.” An elusive memory slid into Tyler’s mind from several years ago when he had been “the best security money could buy” for Charles Huntington. Zachary had brought Evie to the Maine compound after less than a week-long courtship and had blithely announced that he was about to tell her every secret in his life. Tyler had done a full work up on Evie against Zachary’s express wishes and he’d found big huge skeletons in Evie’s past. Until now, he’d never understood why Zachary was so adamantly opposed to the information search. “Do the search quietly with the sources, but do not under any circumstances confirm or deny her presence here.” “Got it. Stealth mode hunt. No one will even know I’m looking.” “Good or bad, call me the second you know anything.” “Got it, boss.” Ivan intruded. “Sorry, sir. I can’t get through to the number you requested in Montana.” “Why not?”

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“A recording comes on and says the hard-wired communication line has been corrupted. I checked the weather online. Montana has been experiencing high wind advisories lately. It could have caused a line to go down.” Tyler got a bad feeling in his bones. “How long before a line down from bad weather gets fixed?” “Hard to say. Maybe a couple of hours or maybe a couple of days.” Tyler nodded and dismissed him. “I’m heading to Montana this afternoon in Zachary’s plane. Send a message to the pilot and have it gassed up.” Snake inhaled a deeply and let the air out slowly. “Fine. But don’t do anything foolish.” “Don’t you think that a communication line being down right now seems very convenient for someone who doesn’t want us to know any information about Valentina?” “Yeah.” Snake nodded in agreement. “But your handy new wife could be orchestrating this whole thing to get you up there.” “Why would she?” “Fuck if I know. Maybe someone’s waiting to kill you. Don’t leave until tomorrow. I can have an initial report ready by then if I work through the night.” “No. We’re leaving today. Set up a vehicle for when we get up there with full complement of weapons and plenty of ammunition. Use the same service that we used when I took Valentina to Dylan. Have Ivan check on the communication line incident for validity.” “Right. Anything else?” Tyler shook his head. He purposely didn’t tell Snake about Veronica’s claim of being a Torcher. He wanted to see if that information was available anywhere. Entering his office, Tyler caught her eye. “We’ll be leaving for Montana as soon as the plane is ready to go.” “Thank you. I know I owe you more than I’m ever going to be

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able to pay.” She slid her arms around his waist, tipped her head back, and stared at him pensively. He hid the smile trying to make it way to his lips. “I could use a Torcher in my business. I have no doubt you’d be useful, especially with all the contacts you must have.” “I’ll think about it.” Snake came in and made a face when he saw them arm in arm. “There’s a call for you.” “Another one? Jesus, who is it this time?” “Hold on to your ass, it’s the assistant to the Grand Chancellor of the Tiberius Group, a Mr. Barnhardt.” Tyler raised one eyebrow in surprise. “Any idea what he wants?” “He said, and I quote, ‘The Grand Chancellor wants the best security money can buy,’ end quote. I’m assuming he wants a bodyguard because of all the Tiberius hierarchy assassinations.” Tyler rolled his eyes to the ceiling. “Jesus.” Veronica had stopped crying. She swiped at her face and turned her back on Snake. They seemed to have a mutual dislike for each other. Tyler didn’t take the time to worry about it. “Put him through.” “Will do, boss. Want me to escort your…wife outside?” Veronica whirled around and took an aggressive step toward Snake. “No. She can stay.” Snake shrugged and grinned before leaving. The phone on Tyler’s desk lit up. “This is Blackthorn,” he answered keeping his eye on Veronica. She crossed her arms and watched him. “Mr. Blackthorn. Cyrus Barnhardt here for the Grand Chancellor.” “What can I do for you, Mr. Barnhardt?” “The Grand Chancellor was chatting with his good friend Charles Huntington the other day and your name came up with regard to a possible security job we’d like you to consider.” “I’m a little busy currently. As a matter of fact, I’m late catching a

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plane right now. Perhaps I could recommend someone—” “No,” he snapped, cutting Tyler off. “I’m sorry to be brisk, but the Grand Chancellor’s life is in danger and we need someone to protect him.” “I’m sorry, too.” But he wasn’t. “My specialty is in ground security, Mr. Barnhardt, not bodyguard protection.” “Mr. Huntington assured us that you were qualified for both.” “Did he? He’s being very complimentary, and while I appreciate your faith in me, I’d be remiss in taking a job where I’m not expertly trained.” “I understand you saved Mr. Huntington’s life at least once. Money is not a problem. Name your price.” “I’m sorry I must decline your generous blank check offer. I’m simply not available at this time.” Silence hung on the line for several seconds before Barnhardt hissed, “This is a huge disappointment, Mr. Blackthorn. We were counting on you.” “I’ll be available in a week. If you’d like me to check over the Grand Chancellor’s private domain for possible security breaches, I’d be happy to take a look at that time. However, if you’re looking for a round the clock body guard protection, I’ll recommend another firm.” “Pity. I can’t imagine what is more important.” Tyler wasn’t sharing his life story with the Grand Chancellor’s man. “I’m sorry I couldn’t help you, Mr. Barnhardt.” “So am I. If you change your mind, Mr. Blackthorn, I hope you’ll let us know.” “I won’t change my mind.” Tyler hung up and figured it would take at best a day for the news to circulate. He hoped that he would not garner the wrath of the GC for turning down a job he most assuredly didn’t want. “Mr. Barnhardt works for the Grand Chancellor,” Veronica remarked in a monotone. “Yes.”

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“Not a good idea to piss of the GC.” She leaned a hip on his desk. “Maybe, instead, he needs to learn to take no for an answer.” “Why did you turn him down?” Tyler grinned. “I’m on my way to Montana to help my wife find her sister. Besides, I don’t want to work for the Grand Chancellor.” “Thank you.” “Don’t thank me yet. I’ll give the search for Valentina two days. Then I have other business to attend to.” “Will you release me? Help fake my death?” Tyler sighed. “I’d rather not, truth be told.” “Why?” “I want you to stay with me. I’m drawn to you. Don’t you feel anything between us?” Her eyes rounded. “I like you, but I wasn’t looking for a permanent relationship. My father forced this Tiberius marriage auction situation on me. While I’ll be forever grateful to you, I had a life before. One I want to return to after I settle things with Valentina.” “If we Torch you, you’ll have to leave the country.” Veronica shrugged. “Unless I get my face cut to look different.” Plastic surgery did amazing things for those willing to pay the price. Tyler knew first hand what it had done for his first temporary wife, Evie Marsh so that she could have a life with Zachary. “I’d hate for you to change that beautiful face for any reason, doll.” “Why?” “I like your face, and besides, I still want you with me. The note I sent you at Valentina’s wedding was going to be a proposition of sorts. I wanted a relationship from the moment I met you. Now that I have one, permanently, I’m loath to let you go or to let you cut your face.” She watched him for a long time without speaking as if assessing the value of his words. “That’s very nice, but I don’t believe it. You

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want me to stay because you haven’t figured me out yet. You think that the longer I stay with you, the more likely I’ll tell you what you want to know about my secret years.” “And you read my mind.” He smiled. “We work so well together.” “Well, the sex is phenomenal.” “There is that.” “I can’t promise you three years, but I’ll think about staying for a little while.” Tyler didn’t remark. He’d work on her. Perhaps he could seduce her to stay. Those long-ago skills that he’d distained years ago, which had led to the ultimate tragedy, might finally come in handy. The Genetex facility had wanted to turn him into a genetically enhanced male escort so that he could fulfill the fantasies of women with the money to pay for it. He and Tommy had wanted to attend warrior school, not seduction class. The day assignments were released, he’d convinced Tommy that they should run away. Now that early training might help him keep Veronica. Wouldn’t that be a laugh? Snake returned again interrupting the intimate moment. “Boss?” “Now what?” Tyler snapped. “Zachary’s pilot just contacted us. He’s gassed up and ready to go to Montana whenever you are. A vehicle with the firepower you requested is waiting in a private parking lot. The rental car guy at the Montana airport said he hadn’t heard of any local communication outages.” “Thanks. We’ll leave within the hour.” Snake nodded and retreated from the office. “Is there any way that I could get more clothing before we take off on our trip?” Tyler glanced at her jeans and T-shirt. He thought she looked sexy, but she was right. He should at least get her more to wear. She needed a jacket for the weather in Montana and some toiletries for the short trip.

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“If you tell me where you live, we can stop on the way to the airport.” Veronica snorted. “Good try, but I’m also not showing you where I live.” “Fine. We’ll stop someplace on the way to the airport and pick up whatever you need.” “Thanks. You can add it to my tab. I’m costing you more and more as time goes by. Wonder how long it will take me to work it off?” “Three years,” he said with a grin. Her genuine laughter drilled a path straight to his soul by way of his heart.

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Chapter Thirteen Once on Zachary’s luxury aircraft, Veronica had retreated to her seat and kept her own council until they landed in Great Falls. From there, Tyler knew from experience that they’d have to drive a rental vehicle a couple of hours to reach the outskirts of the Dylan’s ranch where he’d dropped off Valentina a few short months ago. “How long will it take to get to his ranch?” Veronica spoke for the first time since debarking from the plane. “A little over two hours. We’ll have to stop and spend the night.” “Why not just drive straight through?” “It’s after ten now. We wouldn’t arrive until after midnight. Rather than a welcome, we’d probably get shot. Relax. A couple of hours won’t make any difference.” “That you know of.” “I know for a fact that I’m not waking Dylan up in the middle of the night.” “Fine. But first thing in the morning, we go to the ranch, right?” Tyler nodded. His mind was not on tomorrow at the ranch but rather on being alone in another motel with his new wife. Would she really consent to a permanent sexual relationship with him? He would never force her, but the idea of a regular sexual partner was intriguing to say the least. He hadn’t shared his life with a woman in over fifteen years. His first wife Katherine had been beautiful. She was tiny and delicate, dark-haired with porcelain white skin. The bond they’d shared had been more camaraderie and shared survival than heartfelt love or lust. They’d escaped the Genetex labs successfully, but the

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goons in charge had hunted them down a few months later. He’d loved Katherine in a respectful way, but not all the way to his soul. Veronica couldn’t have been more opposite if she tried. Plus, her mere essence sent a vivid siren call to his soul every time she spoke or stepped within his proximity. Tall, blonde, muscular, tan, and most distinguishable and unique were her world-weary eyes. She exuded the aura of experience, beenthere-done-that-and-lived-to-tell-the-story demeanor. With her cautious stares and the way she held her body as if danger were imminent, she appeared to be ready at all times for combat. Given his past and the need to ensure Veronica was safely protected, he asked, “How equipped are you to fight?” Her whole body stiffened. “I beg your pardon.” “If something were to happen to me, would you be slain in the next moment to fall beside me or would you be able to fend off attackers and fight for yourself?” “I can take care of myself in the short term, but not forever. And not against Tiberius robot patrols.” “No. I mean fighting ordinary men.” He shrugged. “Or perhaps angry men with nothing to lose.” “Are there a lot of them in Montana?” He shrugged. “More than you might think. I can teach you some things if you’d like, or maybe you can teach me some things. Regardless, I’d like to assess your ability. Would that damage your feminine sensibilities?” A quick grin flashed. “I guess not. Did you want to pick a fight with me?” “No. I thought we could spar a little once we get to the motel.” She smiled. “And I thought you were just going to jump my bones all night.” “That is a distinct possibility, but only if you want to.” Tyler had never been so affected by a female. She did something to him. Something arousing. Something unexplainable.

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She shrugged. “I’m not opposed to the idea.” Tyler’s heart pounded in his chest. He wanted to. He wanted her. Every time she came within sensory range, his libido stood up and took notice, along with another part of his anatomy. His libido couldn’t wait until they were alone. Zachary’s pilot made great time, and they arrived thirty minutes early. The duration of the flight to Montana was uneventful with the exception of this trip being the first where he wasn’t getting rid of a temporary spouse. Even after all the sex they’d had this morning and the day before, he still ached for her. Veronica was hard to read. She hadn’t spoken much throughout the flight or getting to and from the airports and such, but occasionally she’d grab his hand and hug up next to him. The first time she’d done it at the airport with all the security surrounding them, he’d almost shaken her off. One hand grabbed his bicep and the other linked her fingers between his as her head rested on his shoulder. The loving touch was so foreign and yet so appealing he was unsure how to react. They found the previously arranged vehicle waiting at the airport, and soon they were on their way to the hotel he’d selected in advance. Tyler and Veronica entered the rustic motel room an hour after leaving the private parking area of the airport. A cuckoo clock ticked loudly on the wall across the room. Centered against the right wall was a dark wood sleigh bed that dominated the meager floor space of the room. Veronica carried the overnight bag he’d purchased for her after leaving his headquarters. Inside the modest-sized bag rested only two changes of clothing. He would have bought her more, but she wouldn’t allow it. She worried about being indebted to him but not enough to show him where she lived. Also in the small suitcase were some bras and panties that she hadn’t let him see and a black lace nightgown that he’d caught only a glimpse of but wanted to see again. Like a brand new groom on his

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honeymoon, Tyler desperately hoped she would wear the sexy scrap of lace for him tonight. If she gifted him that pleasure, he’d do his best to leave it on longer than four seconds before he stripped it off to make love to her repeatedly. The vibe between them was unusually hesitant given all they’d experienced last night and earlier this morning. They weren’t very well acquainted for being husband and wife, but he’d certainly had nothing but Veronica Moorehouse Blackthorn on his mind since the first night he’d met her in person. Ironically, that had taken place in a seedy motel too. Slowly walking into the rustic room ahead of him, Veronica eyed the bed for several seconds before looking away. The little door centered at the top front of the brown cuckoo clock suddenly burst open, and a half-bald red bird popped out sideways and started croaking out the hour. Veronica dropped her bag and reached for her gun after the second squawk before realizing the pathetic bird wasn’t a threat. She exhaled a long breath and laughed. “A little jumpy, aren’t you?” “Mutant birds bursting out of clocks make me nervous.” “I don’t make you nervous, do I?” She swiveled around and hugged him unexpectedly. Her breasts pressing into his torso made his cock spark to life. It wasn’t lost upon him that they were all alone and newly married. Regardless of what their future held, for tonight they could do anything. “No. I don’t understand it after all we’ve done together, but you make me want to rip my clothes off and dance the horizontal mambo.” He squeezed her tight. “Let’s put on our dancing shoes and get flat then, doll.” “Funny. I’ve never had such intense feelings.” He pulled away to stare into her eyes. “Me either.” Brows furrowed for a moment. She scanned his body from

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shoulders to knees and said, “I don’t believe it. I’ll bet every woman you’ve ever been married to wanted to do something wicked before meeting up with her future husband. You are seriously a sexy man.” Tyler laughed. “Thanks. As far as the other temporary wives I’ve had, not everyone tried to entice me.” He released a long sigh. “But perhaps one or two made a suggestion that they wouldn’t be opposed to some mutual scratching of itches.” “And were you ever tempted to scratch any itches?” “No.” She smiled. “Not even once?” Tyler grinned. “Just you, baby doll. You’re the only one I’ve ever been tempted by a wicked urge I can’t seem to control yet.” Eyes wide, she murmured, “I wish I could believe you.” “Believe this.” Tyler cupped her head in one hand and kissed her soft moist lips. His intent was one of romance, but lost his good intentions when her tongue stabbed into his mouth as her hips rocked against his groin. His randy cock met her halfway and pushed against the steady resistance of her body until he had backed her up against the mattress of the bed. He decided it wasn’t important to see her new black negligee if it meant the imminent sex he’d longed for was about to commence. Veronica wrapped her legs around his waist so he could grind his cock against her pussy. She moaned and buried her face against his neck, licking and sucking his sensitive skin. “I can’t seem to get enough of you.” “Ditto, baby doll. Do you have a spell cast over me?” She laughed tilting her head back. “No. I’m too practical. What you see is what you get, there’s no magic in me.” Tyler smiled. “I disagree. There is magic when we make love. Speaking of which, are you ready for bed?” She nodded. “Yes.” Glancing over at her bag, she paused and added, “I got a nightgown.” “I guess I could release you long enough to put it on, but how long

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does it have to stay in place to be worth the effort?” Her easy grin made his heart pound double time in his chest. “Let’s say sixty seconds.” Exhaling a long drawn out breath, he said, “I’ll try.” Veronica broke away from him, scooped up her bag, and headed to the bathroom door next to the cuckoo clock, disappearing behind the door with a wink. Tyler had his clothes off and was beneath the sheets well before she exited the bathroom in the sexy hip-length black lace teddy. His dick, which had been hard and ready before she left, pulsed with the desire to please her. She framed the bathroom door, lifting her arms over her head. The movement raised the short garment even higher, and he could see that the gown hadn’t come with panties, or perhaps she hadn’t bothered to put them on. Tyler grinned, flipped the sheets back to invite her in, and couldn’t help the moan that escaped when she sauntered over to join him beneath the covers. Resting on her back, Veronica closed her eyes and said, “Kiss me. Touch me. Do what ever you want?” Her eyes opened. “I’ll never be able to thank you for all you’ve done.” Tyler traced the strap of her night gown from her collarbone to the top of one breast. “Let’s forget about what brought us here and pretend we’re on our honeymoon. Contrary to what you might believe, I don’t take time to indulge in pleasures of the flesh. I’d like to connect with you more than just physically. Are you game?” Veronica nodded. “I’m your wife. Take me and love me.” He lowered his mouth to hers for a tender kiss. Seconds later, she was devouring him, slipping her arms around his neck and clutching him as if she weren’t close enough. Tyler fastened his hand to one lace-covered breast and pinched the nipple through the sheer fabric. She moaned into his mouth, and his cock rubbed against her leg as if it had a mind of its own. Perhaps it did.

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Sliding his hand down her sleek body, his fingers found her wet center. He stroked her clit before sliding his fingers deeply inside her pussy. Veronica writhed against him, nipping at his lower lip while he played with her clit. Removing his hand from her pussy, he broke their carnal kiss and brought his fingers to his lips. Licking them clean as she watched with eyes wide, he said, “I’ve got to have more. Be right back.” Tyler kissed his way down her body, not even stopping to suckle her lovely breasts on a mission to lick and suck on her until she screamed in delight. He kissed the soft curls at her apex and licked her clit once. She moaned and widened her legs, giving him better access. Burying his face between her legs, Tyler licked her slowly from pussy lips to clit in one long stroke. Her seductive essence lingered deliciously on his tongue as he lapped her juices up. “Ohmigod,” she murmured over and over while he moved his mouth slightly to suck on her clit. Reaching a hand up to her lacecovered breasts, he encountered her palms attached to each mound already cupping herself. His cock dug into the bed at the thought of her touching herself. Lifting his lips from her clit, he whispered, “Pull the straps of your night gown off your shoulders and pinch those lovely nipples while I lick you.” Her eyes glazed over at his demand, and she paused, but he didn’t resume licking until she did as he asked. Sucking the swollen bud of her clit between his lips again, he pushed two fingers inside her pussy and curled the tips across the sensitive spot. He moved his fingers in and out slowly as her preorgasmic sexual aura rolled over him with sublime satisfaction. The sound and feel of Veronica enjoying this interlude was almost as powerfully gratifying as his own climax. Sharing sexual satisfaction one on one with someone he cared about was the most potent way he could charge up his genetically engineered body. This

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method to fuel his genetic implants was a huge pain in his ass, but he’d lived with it all his adult life. The injectable drug Zanthacorth worked pretty well on a daily basis, but the utter joy of sharing his body with Veronica was pure bliss. Sex with just anyone gave him some juice, but having sex with Veronica was singularly the best he’d ever experienced. He recognized that he was falling in love with her and hoped it wouldn’t lead to his doom. He couldn’t imagine ever feeling this intense passion with anyone else. Tyler pushed a third finger into her body, stretching her even wider as he sucked and licked her clit. She was getting close to orgasm. He could feel it. In the next second, Veronica arched her back and released a vibrant scream of satisfaction that rolled over him in a sating wave of sexual energy the likes of which he’d never felt before. His cock pulsed against the sheets aching to release, but he tightened the muscles in his groin to prevent it. Sliding his cock balls deep into her body would feel even better. Tyler pulled his wet fingers from her pussy and removed his mouth from her clit. His free hand, which had rested on one hip bone, slid beneath her thigh to stroke one butt cheek. His fingers brushed across a bumpy scar slightly smaller than a deck of vintage poker cards. He ran his hand across it again, but she stopped him with an urgent whisper. “Don’t, it’s an ugly scar.” “Feels painful. What happened?” She cleared her throat. “I’d rather not say.” “Share with me, doll. I promise, you can trust me.” Veronica ignored his request, rolled to a sitting position, sent her fingertips skimming from his neck, and unerringly zeroed in on a similarly textured scar he had below his shoulder blade. “Tell me about this scar.” Tyler closed his eyes and rested his forehead on her thigh. He couldn’t explain about that scar. It had been an eight-digit number

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etched into his skin upon entrance to the genetics lab where his implants had been introduced. He wasn’t ready to explain about his genetically enhanced secrets. He released a long sigh. “Okay, we don’t have to share scar stories.” Veronica flattened against the sheets again. “Was it a woman’s name?” Her whispered question was unexpected especially the wobbly tone she used as if she were near tears. Was that what she was worried about? Tyler kissed her thigh, slid his body up to stare in her eyes when he answered, “No. I promise you, it wasn’t a woman’s name.” She stroked his face and kissed his mouth. Her eyes remained shiny with unshed tears. She wrapped her arms around his neck and ground her body against his as if to remind him of what they’d interrupted to discuss scars. His body tightened immediately and went to the zenith of pre orgasm in seconds. Tyler’s cock was about to explode from the need to release, another aspect of being with Veronica. Usually, he could last for hours and hours before the need to climax engulfed his body. “I want you inside me.” She spread her legs wide beneath him, and his cock found its way to the entrance of her body like a homing device was attached to his dick. “Happy to oblige you, doll.” Before he finished his sentence, he’d penetrated her. The tight confines of her slick pussy nearly made him climax with the single thrust. Only the need to please her overrode the urge to release. Resting on his hands, he pumped in and out of her body slowly at first. Tyler picked up speed and depth over the next several minutes as he watched her. “Look down between us. Watch me fuck you.” Her eyes widened but promptly strayed to where their bodies joined. Tyler lowered his gaze to where the black lace gown cupped

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her exposed breasts. “Touch your nipples for me.” Briefly glancing into his face with a smile, Veronica pinched and stroked her pert nipples, but sent her gaze back to between their bodies to watch his cock slide in and out. “Ohmigod, that is so sexy.” Her breathing sped up. She sucked in a deep lungful of air, closed her eyes, and climaxed with a groan. Tyler slammed into her with one final drive against her womb and roared from his diaphragm as semen rocketed out of his cock, showering her pussy with his long awaited orgasm. Arms shaking, Tyler collapsed onto Veronica trying to catch his breath. He vibrated with the afterglow of great sex. He rolled to one side hugging her to his body and tangling his legs between hers. He couldn’t remember ever being so content. Amazingly, Tyler dozed with Veronica snuggled in his arms. He never nodded off after sex. It wasn’t in his enhanced genetic makeup, but soon dreams invaded his mind. His difficult childhood memories, shoved to the back of his brain for too long, surfaced. The biting cold. The sounds of rapid gunfire. The bullets ripping his flesh. Being flat on his stomach in the snow. Seeing Tommy get shot in the arm before he disappeared forever. “Tommy, run!” Tyler woke up in a panic all tangled around Veronica unsure of whether he’d roared the words only in his sleep or not. Until Veronica leaned up on an elbow and asked, “Who’s Tommy?” Perhaps it was because he was so sexually sated or that he was completely naked against Veronica, but being this physically close made him decide to confide his past. Not all of it. Not the part about the genetics lab, just the situation concerning Tommy’s death. Tyler took a deep breath and said, “Tommy was my older brother. He died when I was a teenager in an accident. We were out someplace where we shouldn’t have been, and I survived, but he didn’t.”

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“I’m sorry. That must have been agonizing for you.” He nodded and wiped a hand down his face. “It’s coming up on twenty years since it happened. My brain must be noting the anniversary date.” “Probably.” Veronica slid her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek tenderly. “Let me give you something else to occupy your brain for the rest of tonight, okay?” Tyler hugged her tight and resisted the urge to express the revelation he’d thought of earlier regarding his falling in love with her. And never more so than in this moment. **** By morning, it seemed to Veronica like she and Tyler were a wellmatched team. They had shared very deeply and more than just physically. He’d confided in her about his brother. Now she knew he wasn’t just humoring her quest to ensure Valentina’s safety. He did understand her drive to rescue her sister in the most painful way having lost his brother, Tommy. Plus, last night’s amazing and seemingly endless sex-fest convinced Veronica that Tyler was a deity in bed. Flashes from the sexual decadence and excesses of the night before invaded her mind. She faltered in her step before shaking off the sexy vision of Tyler in the shower this morning powering his cock into her while she was pinned to the cheap fiberglass wall and vowed to consider a permanent relationship with her mercenary husband. She knew it likely wasn’t possible, but it was a nice dream. Tyler opened the back hatch of the SUV they’d picked up from a private lot at the small airport last night. There was a wide variety of rifles, pistols, and boxes of accompanying ammunition neatly stacked in the back of the vehicle. Veronica spied a rifle she’d recently coveted and leaned closer to study the external features. Tyler

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grabbed the rifle from its mount and handed it to her. “Check out the scope. It has next generation memory targeting built in.” Veronica took the rifle in two hands and shouldered it. Checking twice to ensure the safety was engaged, she closed one eye and targeted a street light across from the motel. Pretending to take aim as if she were about to fire, she ran a hand down her thigh to ensure it wasn’t sweaty, and slipped her forefinger over the trigger. Reacquiring her distant street light target, she exhaled the air from her lungs and squeezed the stiff trigger. Pow. The rifle didn’t fire of course, but she knew that if she’d taken the shot it would have shattered the light. She’d had extensive training and much like riding a bike, the skills of firing a powerful weapon came back to her easily. She dropped the barrel of the rifle and pointed it at the asphalt parking lot as memories flooded her brain of the last time she’d held a rifle. Handing it back to Tyler without comment, Veronica decided to stick with her pistol. He’d been watching her closely, but thankfully didn’t say anything either. He turned back to the open hatch of the SUV and dug around in the rear compartment for a few seconds before locating and handing her a fully loaded spare ammunition clip made to fit her gun. “Here. Keep that in a handy place.” Veronica paused and stared at the treasure in her palm a moment before closing her fingers around it. She slipped the clip into her front jacket pocket and faked a cough to cover the emotion over her utter surprise of the gift. She watched as he armed himself. “Are you expecting a shoot out?” “No. But I like to be prepared for every possibility.” Veronica nodded. “Good.” “Give me the clip out of your gun.” He up ended a box of bullets into one hand, tossed the box in the back of the SUV, and held out the palm of the other hand without looking at her. Veronica pulled the gun from the back waistband of her slacks

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and popped the clip out. She only had five bullets loaded in her ammunition clip. Not because she’d fired the other eleven, but because the organization she ran was ragtag at best. She’s scraped up the money for Valentina’s auction, and sacrifices had to be made in other places. Like ammunition. She handed him the half-empty clip and he proceeded to fill it up sliding bullets into the clip chamber slowly one by one. Most women were probably far more impressed with gifts of flowers and jewelry, but having her husband fill her empty ammunition clip gave Veronica a warm tingly feeling in her chest. “You should always keep it full,” he murmured as he finished feeding bullets into the clip chamber. “I know, but I don’t have the resources that you do.” She let out a short sigh. “Or the funds.” “All the more reason you should join forces with me.” He slid a half smile her way before turning back to his task. “So, you supply the money and the bullets, and I supply the sexual outlet. Doesn’t that make me more of a prostitute than a business associate?” Tyler paused a fraction of a second before finishing his task. “No. It makes you my wife. A generous wife with some underground contacts and possibly trained personnel who will help me in my businesses. The sex is free.” He stopped and caught her eye. “For both of us.” “I’m sorry I always come across as such a bitch.” He was always a much kinder man than she expected. He disarmed her during every conversation. “No problem. Eventually you’ll learn that I’m a different kind of man than you’re used to dealing with.” “On some level, I already know. I wait for you to transform into a beast, but you’re always so nice.” “Nice.” He shook his head and rolled his eyes. “I’m most assuredly not nice.”

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“Well, you aren’t a bastard when you’re around me, but my initial gut reaction in every situation is to treat you like one. So...I’m sorry.” She bowed her head. Tyler handed her the full clip and slid close. With a single finger to her chin, he tilted her face upward. “I forgive you, if that’s what you need to hear, but you don’t have to apologize. Given who your father is, I can imagine how you’ve been treated for the whole of your life. I’m not going to mistreat you.” Pressing his warm lips to hers in a tender kiss, Veronica strangled the urge to sob in gratitude. “One of these days, you’re going break down and confide everything to me. And when you do, I promise not to gloat.” He brushed another kiss on her cheek and stepped away. She nodded once and smiled because she didn’t trust herself to speak without breaking down into a girly tear-fest. He definitely had some sort of mystical aura that called to her emotions whenever he stood close. After being on her own for so long, it was refreshing to have someone else shoulder the responsibility of day-to-day life. Tyler looked over her shoulder at the rising dawn. “We should get going. It’s a thirty-minute drive to Dylan’s ranch.” He straightened and backed up another step, putting farther space between their bodies. Perhaps he didn’t trust himself in her immediate presence either. Pressed close together, they were damn near combustible. Veronica closed the distance and threw her arms around his neck. Plastering her lips across his, she kissed him with all the pent-up gratitude she harbored. In a flash, his arms tightened around her back. He crushed her to his frame while his tongue invaded her mouth, licking and dueling with hers until they were both breathless. After devouring him for several moments, she pulled away and murmured, “Thank you for the bullets.” He cleared his throat as if unaccustomed to gratitude. “You’re welcome.” They climbed in the black SUV and headed to Dylan’s ranch as shafts of the orange-and-yellow sunrise broke in the eastern plains of

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Montana. From that moment on, Veronica promised to do her best to view their marriage as a temporary partnership and vowed to make an effort to trust Tyler. **** Tyler drove along quiet black topped back roads until they saw a burned out car next to a wide dirt driveway with a wooden sign built over the entrance in split wood declaring the Double R logo. He turned on to the property and drove underneath the sign heading north. “Why is his ranch called the Double R?” Tyler smiled and glanced at her once before turning his attention back to the dirt road. “His parent’s were Robert and Rosalind. They started this place.” “You asked that when you were here last time, didn’t you?” “No. I already knew from my initial research of Dylan.” She didn’t say anything else as they bounced along the primitive road. Driving over a sudden rise in the landscape, Tyler saw the Double R ranch house a couple hundred yards away. Next to it, on the eastern side, was a large two-story red barn with a steeply pitched roof and wide white trim. Approaching the well kept ranch, Veronica remarked quietly, “It’s not fancy, but better than living in Brandt’s gilded and perverted world.” “I suppose.” Tyler slowed the vehicle as they drove under another gated entrance and pulled onto the circular drive way covered in gravel leading to a small parking area in front of a modest log cabin. Behind the slightly dilapidated barn were several other smaller rustic wooden structures and a fenced in area presumably to pen

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animals. As it had the first time he’d seen it, Dylan’s ranch looked like it was straight out of a western movie set. Wind blew tumbleweed-sized tornados of dust in and around the buildings. He rolled to a stop with an uneasy feeling brushing the hair on the back of his neck to high alert. Everything looked as it should, but his gut told him to be wary. “It’s very quiet here.” Veronica’s gaze was pinned to the front door of the small home as if waiting for her sister to miraculously emerge. “Yeah.” Tyler turned off the motor. “Almost too quiet.” “Meaning what?” Her visual attention shifted to his face. Tyler studied his wife’s beautiful features a moment and sighed. “The last time I was here, Dylan was on the front porch before I made it all the way around the circular driveway.” She lifted one shoulder. “He was eagerly awaiting his bride the last time you were here. Maybe they’re out on the property working.” Tyler swiveled his head around looking for any hint or clue of foul play and found none. “Maybe.” But he wasn’t convinced. Veronica also searched the immediate area around the house and barn. Her gaze soon returned to his face and narrowed. “Do you have a bad feeling or something?” His eyebrow rose. “Why? Do you?” They stared at each other silently for a slow five count until the corners of her mouth tilted in a rueful smile. “I’m a city girl for the most part. This too-big, quiet space is a little unnerving. The entire state of Montana makes me uneasy.” Tyler reached out slowly and traced a finger down the side of her face, ending at the edge of her lips where the half smile began as another thought came to mind. “Maybe we should knock on the door. Another reason for the lack of greeting and general quiet just occurred to me.” “What reason?” Veronica licked her bottom lip as she stared at his

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mouth and it was all he could do not to pull her onto his lap, recline the seat and have his wicked way with her. “Well, they are still newlyweds.” Veronica’s cheeks flamed, and she sucked in a quick breath as if in embarrassed understanding. Her eyes never left his lips. The fabric across his lap tightened, not surprisingly, but he held himself in check. Veronica likely wouldn’t want to get intimate so close to Valentina’s front porch regardless of whether she was in residence or not. “Is that the same reason you think they aren’t answering their communication device either?” Tyler shrugged, but straightened in his seat and turned to stare at the house. His cock had stiffened to an uncomfortable level merely thinking about all the inspired sexual activities they’d participated in the past day and a half. “I wouldn’t,” he mumbled. She huffed. “You would too. You already did.” Tyler closed his eyes realizing she was right. He’d taken a call from Snake the morning after they were married. But he couldn’t admit that fact delighted him. “Our permanent marriage was unexpected.” He reminded her with a heated glare. He wanted her. The unruly beast in his pants couldn’t seem to get enough. Perhaps he never would. Instead of confessing his complicated feelings, Tyler opened the door and stepped out into the dusty, windy Montana morning. Before slamming the door, he noticed she’d grabbed for her door handle. “Wait inside the vehicle a minute.” Tyler’s unease hadn’t abated, but he couldn’t identify a source for his disquiet. Walking around the front of the SUV, he scanned the immediate area including the barn, the house, and the distant mountains in the west for a threat, but saw nothing. The wind even died down all of a sudden as if in anticipation of whatever imaginary phantoms had spooked him. He finally strolled to the passenger door

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and opened it. Veronica slid out feet first, landing toe to toe with him and smiled. “You don’t have to open doors for me.” She scooted out of the way so he could close the door resting her butt against the vehicle. Her intense gaze shifted to his mouth again. The tip of her tongue escaped enough to lick a slow path along her lower lip. Tyler wanted to pin her to the side of the vehicle and take her to sexual heights in the open wilds of the too quiet Montana landscape. “I don’t mind.” He sent a ferocious gaze of longing from her long legs to her soft round breasts and finally to her face. If she gave any indication of consent to the prurient thoughts rampaging through his head, he’d be hard-pressed to deny her, even here. Tyler, focused intently on his luscious wife, pushed the door shut with a quiet thud as a bullet whizzed past his head and shattered the front passenger window.

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Chapter Fourteen Veronica had her gun pulled out from the back of the waistband of her jeans and in hand before her brain had caught up to the fact that she needed it. Arm stiffening by her side in readiness to shoot, her finger found the trigger after she’d automatically released the safety. “Get down,” Tyler’s strident voice didn’t make her move any faster. He promptly slammed her to the dirt and covered her with his warm body. A second shot ricocheted off the roof of the SUV in the next moment. The poorly aimed shots came from the direction of the barn. She turned her head toward the large structure, searched for the shooter’s location, and saw a rifle jutting out of a foot wide slit in the upper loft’s sliding door. She couldn’t see the person shooting, but she saw both of his arms. Veronica took careful aim and squeezed off a round at the loft opening before the next breath of air graced her lungs. Her shot went off her mark by a foot and to the right. Damn it. She pushed out another shaky breath, closed one eye briefly to focus in on the arm supporting the rifle. She fired a second time and managed to hit her target. Tyler turned his head in the direction of the barn with her first shot. Out of the corner of one eye, she watched him follow the extension of her arm to the smoking gun in her hand after she’d fired the second shot. His eyes widened when his gaze reached the barn. She not only fired her weapon, she’d hit the forearm of the shooter fifty feet as the rifle tumbled to the dusty ground from the secondstory of the barn loft.

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A distant string of inventive curses flew from the same direction followed by a yelp. A large man toppled out of the barn’s second story as if in pursuit of the gun. “You hit him.” Tyler’s awe-filled voice registered through her focused haze of return fire defense. Veronica hated hiding her proficiency with weapons, but the level of misery associated with any man finding out forced her standard response of, “It was just a lucky shot.” If Tyler learned that she was an expert with almost every weapon she’d ever trained with, it might narrow his search of her damnable past and lead him to discover her worst secret. She couldn’t let that happen for lots of reasons. “Lucky shot, my ass.” “Get off me. I can’t breathe,” she lied. Tyler grunted and lifted to his forearms shifting only his torso a few inches from her breasts. With their hips intimately aligned, his hard shaft was nestled between her thighs. Her legs were positioned wide open as if in invitation to fuck her senseless. The mere thought of sex with Tyler brought a flood of moisture between her legs. Coupled with the satisfaction associated with an accurate shot and Tyler’s position between her legs, Veronica experienced a white hot rush of desire. Now, however, was not the time for such urges. Tyler jumped to his feet and simultaneously grabbed her by the jacket lapels hauling her to her feet. In an unsteady hunched-over gait, he quickly pushed her toward the back of the SUV. Bent in half protecting her body with his, Tyler maneuvered her to the other side of the vehicle and out of the line of sight from the barn. There was nothing but wide open space here. Once they hunkered down next to the wheel well, Tyler smiled. His hand ran down her gun arm from shoulder to elbow. He murmured, “Nice shot.” Veronica ignored the compliment. “Do you think he’s dead?” Tyler shook his head. “I doubt it. You only winged him. Where

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did you learn to shoot like that?” Before Veronica had to answer the uncomfortable question, the front door to the log cabin opened slowly inward. On this side of the vehicle, they had a clear, unimpeded view. Worse, Veronica realized, so did the person exiting the house. A familiar looking man cautiously stepped into the doorway. She didn’t see a weapon, but Veronica raised her arm in preparation to shoot. She leveled her gun at the figure centered in the yawning dark opening, and prepared to fire if he so much as twitched the wrong way. Tyler’s hand landed on her forearm, gripped tight disrupting her aim, and whispered, “Wait, that’s Valentina’s husband, Dylan.” Boots clomping across the battered syntho-wood porch distracted Veronica from Tyler’s face. A slender young man dressed in wrinkled jeans and a mis-buttoned flannel shirt that he’d half tucked in approached them. He looked like the picture Valentina had showed her months ago of the man she’d fallen in love with and wanted to marry. His disheveled appearance gave credence to the newlywed theory Tyler had posed earlier. Perhaps Valentina was inside throwing clothes on as quickly as possible after hearing unexpected gunfire in their front yard. “Mr. Blackthorn, is that you?” Tyler motioned for Dylan to hurry behind the SUV for cover. Seemingly oblivious to the dire nature of the situation, Dylan remained on the porch in plain view. He glanced over at the barn and asked, “Did I just hear gun shots out here?” “Yes. Get over here.” Tyler searched their immediate area as if assessing for additional threats. Dylan moved slowly down the stairs and sauntered over to where they hid. “Who is that over there on the ground?” “I don’t know. Veronica just shot someone out of your barn loft.” Dylan tilted his head and shot a confused glance at Veronica.

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“Someone got shot?” He turned and started walking towards the barn. Tyler grabbed him by the shoulder and pulled. “Dylan, wait. Where is Valentina?” Dylan wrenched out of Tyler’s grasp with a sudden twist and turned, keeping his head down. Veronica noticed how ashen his face was when he lifted it and whispered, “Valentina’s in the barn. I need to go check on her.” He turned and headed in the direction of the barn again. Tyler left the relative safety of the SUV and chased after him, grabbed his arm, and forcefully dragged him back behind the SUV. “Explain to me what is going on.” “What do you mean?” Dylan glanced over his shoulder at the barn. Veronica squinted. “Why did you call my father and tell him Valentina was missing?” Dylan swiveled around eyes narrowed in confusion. “I never called your father.” “He told me that you did.” His lips mashed flat as if he’d stopped from saying a curse word or something unflattering about her father. Instead, he muttered, “Your father was mistaken.” Veronica nodded. “Undoubtedly. Why would he say that you’d called?” Dylan’s gaze kept drifting back to the barn. He shrugged and replied, “I don’t know. I’ve never spoken to him.” It was obvious that Dylan was hiding something and Veronica wished he’d confide in them or confess what he knew. The sheen of perspiration on his upper lip told her he was nervous and it made her nervous as well. Dylan’s focus returned to the barn and remained there. Veronica and Tyler exchanged glances. “Is Valentina really in the barn?” Veronica asked. Dylan pegged her with an intense stare and nodded slowly. But

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the information didn’t seem to calm him. “Is she alone?” Tyler asked. Dylan closed his eyes and looked at the space between their feet. The nearly imperceptible shake of his head was his only response. After a few more moments of silence, Dylan whispered, “We need to get to the barn.” “Who’s waiting with Valentina in there?” Dylan shrugged his shoulders. “Several men. They showed up late last night looking for you.” Tyler ran his hand down his face presumably in a gesture of discomfort after receiving bad news. “Looking for me or her.” “Both.” Dylan fingered the edge of his flannel shirt still not making eye contact with either of them. “Any idea who they are?” “Nope.” Dylan looked up suddenly. “All I know is that they have my wife held hostage to ensure my cooperation. I’m supposed to lead you in there for a surprise attack, but since the guy in the loft started target practice, I guess things have changed.” Tyler cut a look over Dylan’s shoulder. “Is anyone in the house?” Dylan shook his head. “No. Once they knew you were coming, they took Valentina and hid in the barn.” “How did they know we were coming?” Veronica asked. “I have a wireless sensor by the gate that captures a short video of visitors coming on to my property. If I’m here, it alerts me to any strangers coming. That way I don’t get surprised. They grabbed Valentina when your vehicle entered my land this morning.” Tyler glanced around the yard as he pulled a gun from his shoulder holster. After checking the load, he flipped off the safety. He leaned into Veronica and whispered, “Keep your gun out of sight but ready to fire.” She nodded. “What are we doing?” “We’re heading to the barn.” “We are?” Veronica was shocked that he didn’t insist they haul

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ass before getting killed. They were obviously walking into an ambush. “Yes. I know it’s foolish since we should hop in our vehicle and make a run for it. But your sister is in there with strange men wielding guns. I figure that we need to fetch her first before leaving the ranch, am I right?” Veronica clamped her lips shut to keep from having an emotional outburst and nodded. She resisted the urge to throw her arms around his neck in gratitude. It was an alien gesture to her, but one she was coming to anticipate in light of her husband doing the unexpected. Her voice wavered slightly when she said, “Thanks for understanding.” He nodded once and gifted her with a quick smile. “Dylan, lead the way to the barn. Veronica, stay behind me until we get to the door.” The wind picked up and blew dust over them as they crossed the yard with Dylan leading the way to the barn. Tyler followed a pace behind turning his head left, right, up, and down as they walked. Veronica brought up the rear, but strolled so close that she put her foot down in Tyler’s most recently vacated footprint with each step she took. Glancing over her shoulder and seeing nothing, she guessed the threat was ahead and not in the dusty plains behind them, but she kept an eye out for anyone sneaking around. Before they got half way across the yard, one side of the lower red barn door swung open. Veronica immediately recognized the man now framed in the tall doorway. Kraal, Draken’s second at her wedding auction debacle, strolled outside carrying a pistol in each hand. “Nice of you to join us.” Kraal grinned. “I thought we’d have to blow up your vehicle to get you moving.” Tyler laughed out loud. “That’s because you fucked up, Kraal. Shouldn’t have let your poor excuse for a sniper take a shot at us, especially since he missed. FYI, it ruined your element of surprise.”

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Kraal’s mouth flattened. He turned and looked at the man on the ground. The shooter in question, still flat on his back, took the opportunity to rouse. Groaning loudly, he wrestled himself into a sitting position hugging his wounded arm close to his torso. “Shit, this hurts. I think my arm is broken.” He caught Kraal’s eye. “Send the medic out. I think I broke my leg, too.” “Who authorized you to fire at the targets?” The shooter frowned. “I had him in my sights. I thought the whole point of being here was to kill him.” Kraal inhaled deeply and gripped each of the guns in his hands until his knuckles turned white. “You aren’t paid to think. And besides you missed.” “Well, at least I tried—” The shooter’s whiny-toned excuse was cut off when Kraal flicked his wrist and shot him in the forehead with the gun held at his side. The inept sniper had a surprised expression forever etched on his face as he slumped backward to the ground. Veronica and Tyler both brought weapons up in reaction to the gunfire, and both also trained their guns on Kraal. Dylan had jumped when Kraal shot the sniper. He stepped from in front of both Tyler and Veronica and yelled, “Where is Valentina?” “She’s in here with me.” Standing unnoticed in the doorway of the darkened barn, Draken stepped forward from behind Kraal into the morning Montana light. Veronica’s stomach flipped over in terror. She changed her target from Kraal to aim at Draken. “I got your message, Blackthorn.” Draken halted two paces from Tyler. “Message?” Tyler’s gun remained trained on Kraal, but his focus shifted to Draken. “After the boxing match at the auction, you told Kraal to tell me, ‘Kiss your ass.’ Is that accurate?” Tyler grinned. “It is. I’d turn around while you puckered up, but

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you’d just shoot me in the back. Then my new wife would have to kill you. She doesn’t need your justified death on her conscience.” “I don’t mind,” Veronica murmured even though her insides liquefied with dread. “Let me shoot him and I promise my conscience will be just fine.” The last time she’d seen Draken, he was flat on his back, having been put down by Tyler to win her auctioned hand in marriage. With the cold fury glinting in his eyes, she knew that if Draken had his way today, things would not end well for her…or for Tyler. “Only a pussy let’s his wife kill for him.” Tyler shrugged. “If that’s true, then you let a pussy beat you the last time we fought. I’m happy to do it again.” Draken’s expression darkened and he took an aggressive step forward. “Put the gun down, Veronica, or I’ll have your sister brought out and shot in front of you.” “No.” Dylan stepped forward. Kraal leveled a pistol between his eyes. “Slow down, cowboy. Don’t want to lose your head over a woman.” “Drop your weapons,” Draken commanded. “I’m not dropping anything. I want to see Valentina. Now!” Veronica wasn’t releasing her pistol only to find out her sister was already dead. The longer her gun was in hand, the better chance she and Tyler had for survival. Draken’s thunderous stare remained cemented in place as several seconds ticked by. He finally twisted and extended a stiff armed pretend welcome. “Let’s go inside.” Dylan went first with Kraal trailing behind him. Veronica was loath to lower her weapon knowing this was a premium opportunity to get rid of Draken once and for all. She dropped her arm against her side and rested her gun on one thigh. Draken certainly knew she wouldn’t do anything to jeopardize Valentina. Turning to Tyler, Veronica tried not to lose grip of her emotions when he gave her a soul-melting smile of assurance. Before entering

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through the tall doors behind Dylan, he wrapped a protective arm around her shoulders and pulled her close to his body, eliciting a frown from Draken. In the protective arms of the man she knew she’d fallen in love with, Veronica crossed the threshold out of the warming Montana morning. In the dim light of the large structure, the first sight she beheld was of Valentina—safe, sound, and alive. Her sister stood in the center of the barn arms folded clutching her elbows with white-knuckled fingers. Two large men with bulky automatic rifles slung on beefy shoulders were stationed on either side of her, but otherwise, she seemed unharmed physically. Dylan ran to Valentina and enclosed her in his arms. Veronica sagged into Tyler’s body the second she recognized her sister was alive and unharmed. Surreptitiously, she scanned the barn’s interior for exits, but didn’t see any obvious ones. When marching into a bad situation, it was best to keep alert. In addition, she counted eight men carrying guns. Not great odds. Behind them, Draken snarled commands to his men stationed inside as the doors of the barn shut and closed off the majority of the light. Her unexpectedly marvelous husband of less than two days shared this dismal predicament because she insisted on finding a sister who wasn’t even truly missing. Her father was certainly duplicitous in this trap and Veronica made a mental note to punish him if they managed to escape. Tyler, with an arm still slung around her shoulders, squeezed her as if for reassurance. She vowed to do everything in her power to ensure she hadn’t just led Tyler to his ultimate doom. “Throw down your gun, Veronica,” Draken repeated. “There’s a reason women aren’t allowed to carry firearms. You look ridiculous.” “Don’t make her angry, Draken. She’s a great shot.” Kraal barked out a mirthless laugh. “There’s a reason for that, isn’t there. I mean even animals can be trained to do extraordinary

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things. Women are no different.” Had Kraal, the bastard, just compared women to animals? Veronica tightened her fingers around the comfortable grip of her pistol and ran it back and forth across the seam of her jeans wishing she could shoot the smirk off Kraal’s face and follow it up with a bullet to Draken’s black heart. Kraal grinned at Veronica. “You remind me of someone I was briefly acquainted with several years ago.” He sauntered closer, pushed back his sleeve, and revealed a familiar tattoo etched on his forearm. The predominant feature of the tattoo was an intricate Gothic letter A colored in with vivid red dye. Pierced at an angle all the way through the letter was a silver, jewel-handled dagger. A drop of crimson blood below the tip of the dagger’s blade was the final detail of the colorful tattoo. Pointing to it, he whispered, “It’s the mark of an elite group of assassins that I trained with a few years ago. Look familiar?” Ohmigod. I’m going to be found out. Veronica’s spine snapped straight with the vehement denial poised ready to shoot from her lips. With a calm that was only surface deep, she asked offhandedly, “Why would it?” Draken was out of earshot, but beside her, she knew Tyler heard their quiet conversation. The ugly, raised scar on the back of her left thigh used to have an exact replica of Kraal’s tattoo. The mark of an elite assassin. Bastard fucking assassins. They’d nearly turned her into something abhorrent, a remorseless killer. She hadn’t let them. However, she’d paid the price with her freedom. Kraal shrugged and dropped his arm. “No reason. Perhaps I was mistaken.” He grinned at Tyler before stepping away. Tyler leaned his head in, put his mouth against her ear, and asked in a low whisper, “Anything you want to tell me, baby doll?” Veronica shook her head and refused to look him in the eyes. He

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was probably smart enough to guess what she’d hid about her secret past after only admitting her Torcher credentials. If they survived this, Tyler would never look at her the same way. She couldn’t really blame him. Tyler might not object to his wife being an assassin on principle. However, he might take grave exception to the fact that she’d been responsible for getting him shot. Several years ago, he’d taken a bullet in the chest after Veronica had been ordered to assassinate Charles Huntington. **** The inkling of thought nagging Tyler for the past few months rose front and center in his mind. The idea that he recognized Veronica, graced his brain when he saw her shoot the guy out of the barn loft. Added to it was the recent memory of her targeting the street light at the motel this morning with the rifle. The clamor of his new wife being an assassin became a loud, blaring, fully realized consideration when he’d seen the tattoo on Kraal’s arm. Kraal’s snide insinuation that she should recognize the symbol enforced this newly realized belief. Was she involved with that assassin’s group? How had she escaped? They were infamous for hunting down and killing their own assassin members who dared to escape. In his brief study of their history, he hadn’t found any former members alive to give any information. No wonder she didn’t want to tell him about her past. She was probably hiding from a more treacherous group than just her father if she’d been recruited by that assassin group. “I’m only going to say this one more time, Veronica. Drop that gun.” Draken clenched his fists and lightly pounded his thighs in obvious agitation. Tyler figured Draken had reached the end of what little patience he possessed. If he’d ever had any at all.

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Veronica gripped the gun in her hand, clearly reluctant to part it simply because Draken said so. Tyler wasn’t sure how this power struggle would end if he didn’t step in but knew he’d do anything in his power to keep her alive. Even if it meant dying himself. Draken had an agenda. It was time to find out what it was. She settled closer to Tyler’s before she said, “Or else what? You don’t scare me, Draken. I don’t know what you expect to accomplish.” Draken’s narrow lips thinned farther into a disapproving line. He sent Tyler a dark look, and a smile suddenly erupted. “You should be scared. Tell her what happens if you die within seventy-two hours of marriage, Blackthorn. Tell her who her new husband will be.” Veronica stiffened in his arms. Tyler wouldn’t have to tell her anything. She already knew that as the other opponent in the auction for her hand, Draken became her new husband if Tyler died within three days of the wedding. And unfortunately, it didn’t matter whether the union had been consummated or not. Draken’s reputation for getting his own way at all costs made it easy to expect that sacrificing Tyler in murder was an acceptable way to gain the woman he’d coveted for years. “You’re insane. I know you killed your last wife to participate in my vile marriage auction in the first place. Now you threaten my husband?” Veronica lifted her arm and pointed her gun at Draken’s head. “I’m so sick of your threats. I should kill you right now and be done with it.” The second she leveled her weapon at Draken, every other gun in the barn pointed at either Dylan, Valentina, or Tyler. “But everyone else would die including your precious sister.” “The important part is that you’d be dead.” She flipped the safety and slid her finger over the trigger. “And besides, Valentina’s better off dead if a lifetime of your intimidation is the alternative.” Valentina cried out as one of Draken’s thugs grabbed her and put

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his automatic weapon against her cheek. Dylan grabbed for her and was summarily subdued by two other thugs. Draken laughed as if she hadn’t spoken a word. “Are you really ready to watch Valentina die?” Veronica’s arm dipped slightly. Tyler slid his hand slowly from her shoulder to her hip in an effort to soothe her. Whispering in her ear, he said compassionately, “I support whatever decision you’re about to make and I understand your anger, but your sister is about to faint.” “I’m not trading your life for hers,” Veronica whispered in a barely audible tone. He pressed his lips to her cheek. “I appreciate it, baby doll, but I’m tougher than I look.” She turned toward him with amusement. After a long moment of studying Tyler out of the corner of her eye, she dropped her arm slowly and released the gun, dropping it at her feet. He looked like he was made of granite and besides he had a point about Valentina. Tyler tossed the gun he held next to hers and undid his gun belt dropping it on the floor at their feet. “Now what, big shot?” Tyler anchored Veronica at his side. “I have some questions before I get rid of you. Answer me quickly and I’ll give you a quick death.” Draken nodded at two of his men, who marched over and grabbed each of his arms. He didn’t resist. There was no point. Tyler’s hands were tied behind him with thin laughable rope and he was pushed to his knees. Draken sauntered over and towered above him. “Now then, I want to know how you managed to stay standing in the ring when we fought.” Tyler laughed out loud. “I’m a better fighter than you are.” “The neurotoxin on my shielded hands should have knocked you out cold with the punch to your torso. I want to know how you remained on your feet!” Draken’s voice had risen with the second

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question. Shrugging, Tyler quipped, “Maybe I was shielded too. The neurotoxin sure worked on you when I pushed your hands into your face though, didn’t it, asshole?” Draken powered a fist to his jaw with considerably more force than Tyler considered him capable of. He faked toppling to his side and had to be manhandled back to his knees. If that was Draken’s best shot, Tyler was no longer worried. After the last two insatiable days of making love repeatedly to Veronica, his genetic implants fairly sang with the desire to kick Draken’s sorry ass into a fine pulp. “Put him in a chair,” Draken commanded angrily. “This will take too long if he keeps falling on the ground after every punch.” “Why don’t you free his hands and fight fair?” Veronica asked, but only earned Draken’s wrathful glare. Now seated on a battered, but fairly solid, metal chair with his arms tucked uncomfortably behind him, Tyler cleared his throat to bring Draken’s focus back on him. Until she added, “Who’s the pussy now, you cheating coward?” Draken growled and swung his fist toward her head in roundhouse blow that would have taken most men off their feet, except that Veronica ducked at the last moment and he missed her. Tyler couldn’t stop the grin shaping his lips when his wife found her balance, executed a perfect squat kick to the back of Draken’s knees, and brought him face down on the ground in an awkward flurry of limbs. None of Draken’s men, including Kraal, moved or made a single peep of sound. Veronica wisely backed away from Draken until she stood next to Valentina and Dylan. Horses stirred in their stalls along the outer barn wall. Several soft whinnies broke the awkward silence as Draken coughed once and crawled up on his hands and knees. There was murder in his eyes as he regarded Veronica. He quietly stood up brushing dirt and loose hay off his clothing.

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A runnel of blood dripped to his lip from one nostril. Draken calmly wiped the stream with the back of one hand and pierced her momentarily with a stare evil enough to kill before he turned away. Silently, Draken took three short steps, bent at the waist to pick up the gun Veronica had dropped earlier, and promptly fired five closely grouped rounds into the center mass of Tyler’s chest.

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Chapter Fifteen Veronica, so stunned by Tyler being blasted by gunfire, didn’t immediately register the unearthly shrieking coming from nearby. Until Draken backhanded her across the jaw hard enough to generate stars, she hadn’t realized the blood-curdling sound came from her own throat. Rivulets of blood ran down Tyler’s shirt from the five bullets that riddled his body. Veronica sank to her knees shocked by his brutal murder. Tyler’s eyes were half open, and a slight smile graced his beautiful lips in death. What was his last thought? Had there been time for one? Tears dripped from her eyes and splashed on her clothing. A single thought raced through her mind with acidic clarity. I should have told him that I loved him. I should have let him know he was the only man to ever touch my soul. Draken barked commands to his men ordering them to ready the vehicles for travel. The bastard had shot Tyler with her gun. Veronica vowed to make him pay or die trying. The gagging stench of diesel fuel suddenly permeated the air as one of the engines turned over and caught. As the truck engine revved in the tight confines of the barn, Veronica took shallow breaths to keep from retching. Most vehicles used clean-burning Thorium-Z as a replacement fuel. However, there were plenty of smelly petroleum vehicles still around. Two of Draken’s loud cumbersome trucks motored out of the barn and into the yard. Veronica snapped out of her shocked grief enough to realize she

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needed ascertain Draken’s plans for Valentina, Dylan, and herself. Her heart literally hurt at Tyler’s loss. She stared longingly, fighting the urge to throw herself on him for one last embrace. Strengthened with the resolve to survive, she swallowed her anguish. Turning to Kraal, Draken said in a conspiratorially low tone, “I’ll meet you in Eastlake City. Get everything set up for the assassination. I’ll bring Blackthorn’s body with me to be our sacrificial lamb after I complete my business with his new widow. “Once the Grand Chancellor falls dead, everything will be in place for the takeover. The Tiberius old guard will no longer be in control. We’ve waited a long time for this victory.” Kraal whispered back, “What about Charles Huntington?” “What about him? He’s been in hiding since the last attempt to kill him failed.” Glancing over his shoulder with a smirk, Draken added, “His primary security officer is dead. How hard can he be to get rid of now? The first time he sticks his head out, we’ll take care of him. When you get to Eastlake City, send one of your assassin friends to keep tabs on him. “Foremost now is ensuring that Mr. Barnhardt is put into place as acting Grand Chancellor. Three more days, Kraal, and all will be changed. Mr. Barnhardt will be in a position to reward our efforts by making us leaders. The Tiberius Group charter will make us very powerful, as we should have been already.” Lifting his hand, Kraal and Draken slapped their palms together in a final shake of solidarity for their plans. “I’ll be at the Obelisk Hotel.” Kraal glanced down at Veronica and added in a smug tone, “Don’t take too long securing your bride.” “I have a Tiberius Representative on my payroll waiting at the airport. He’ll fix the former death certificate and consummation paperwork after I’ve fucked her and dumped Blackthorn’s body off. I’ll be on the next plane to Eastlake City. We’ll meet after the Grand Chancellor is dead.” Kraal laughed confidently, hopped into one of the vehicles, and

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drove out to the yard. A second vehicle followed lumbering out of the barn. Veronica straightened when Valentina squatted down and hugged her awkwardly with a whispered, “I’m so sorry, Ronnie.” Valentina was the only one that had ever been allowed to call her Ronnie. Veronica patted her arm and stood shielding her raw emotions from her sister. “You two look after each other,” she whispered to Dylan and Valentina. “I have work to do.” Drilling a hateful gaze at Draken, Veronica readied herself to do battle with the devil. Draken ordered the last two of his men to take Valentina and Dylan back to the house and to wait for instructions. “And close the barn door on your way out. I have business to attend to with my new wife.” The tall barn door had barely closed when Draken said, “Come here, woman. You’re about to learn the meaning of obedience.” “Fuck you.” Veronica crossed the floor away from Draken on a fast trajectory to Tyler. She needed to touch him. Needed to nuzzle his neck and kiss his cheek. Needed to say good-bye to the love of her life. “Get away from him. I’m your new husband.” Without turning, she flipped Draken off and continued walking. She straddled the chair where Tyler slumped and balanced on his legs. She slid her arms around his neck and buried her face in his throat. The masculine scent of him overwhelmed her with sorrow for what might have been. Sobbing, she whispered in his ear, “I love you, Tyler. I’m so sorry. I should have told you that I loved you.” She brushed a hand across his soft, stubbly hair and pressed her lips to a spot beneath his jaw. Draken crossed the room and grabbed her by a handful of hair before she could kiss Tyler again.

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“I said get off of him.” Not wanting to pull Tyler from the chair, she released her grip, but once steady on her feet, she sent a back kick to Draken’s knee connecting solidly. He went down with a curse, finally letting go of her hair. That was Draken’s second mistake. The first had been killing the man she loved. She wasn’t going to make this easy for him. Veronica turned and kicked as hard as she could between his legs. Unfortunately, he was able to dodge her. Men often had superhuman strength in the ability to protect their family jewels. He jumped back in the nick of time to avoid her groin kick, but she charged him and aimed her head for his belly. Draken grunted and fell on his ass when she connected. She wanted to crawl on top of him and punch her fists into his skull until her hands were bloody, but decided to go for a gun instead. Tyler’s pistol and holster rested on the dusty ground behind her so she scrambled for it. She slid her hand around the grip, grabbed the gun, and rolled onto her back as Draken charged. She sat up with the pistol pointed at his chest. Draken skidded to a stop at her feet and half raised his hands as if that would stop her from firing. It didn’t. Not bothering to warn him, Veronica aimed at Draken’s head and pulled the trigger. Nothing happened. Draken had paused as if waiting for the bullet which didn’t come. She squeezed the trigger again and again in a panic and, far too late, realized the gun had a biometric handle. Only Tyler could fire it. Now she was totally screwed. Draken laughed maniacally and grabbed her kicking feet. Dragging her across the barn floor, he stopped once they were directly in front of Tyler still slumped in the chair. “Why don’t I fuck you in front of your dead husband, woman? He shouldn’t have won the match. I should have triumphed in that battle. I would have fucked you on the altar. Did you know that?” “You sick, cowardly bastard.” Veronica struggled to get to her

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feet, but he kicked her thigh hard enough that she thought he might have cracked her femur. Draken dropped on top of her, pushed her back to the ground when she struggled, and finally pinned her legs down to where she couldn’t move. She struggled against his weight. “I’ll kill you, if you keep resisting me.” He swooped in and tried to plant a kiss on her lips. “Finally, we have something in common. I’d rather be dead than to submit to you.” Turning her head to avoid Draken’s foul kiss, she caught the sight of Tyler slumped in his chair. This defining moment was the pinnacle of unfairness. Veronica hadn’t had an easy life, but the sour injustice of losing to Draken after Tyler’s unexpected reprieve two days ago was particularly hard to swallow. Closing her eyes, Veronica’s mind checked out. Physically, she kept up the fight against Draken, but mentally, she focused on her memories of Tyler. His voice. His body. His kiss. Draken fired her pistol in the air startling her. “That can be arranged, woman. Or perhaps I’ll bring your little sister in here and demonstrate on her.” “You’re a bastard to threaten my little sister. Or would you prefer I call you a big pussy?” “Shut up.” Draken struck her across the face. The sudden sting of his blow, along with making her see stars again, apparently made her hallucinate. Veronica could have sworn she heard Tyler whisper, “Draken.” **** Stunned for a few minutes while his implants went to work removing the bullets now lodged in his chest, Tyler initially listed to one side after being shot. Seated uncomfortably in the hard chair, he waited to come back to life. Hopefully, his body would cooperate at

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the best time. Luck was on his side because his eyes remained half open. He could observe what went on after everyone thought he was dead. He calculated that he’d need a solid fifteen minutes to recuperate enough to engage in battle. Perhaps less, since last night and this morning with Veronica had freshened his already overfilled reserve with additional healing and strength. The ropes binding him would shred like paper once he applied any force. And he planned to do exactly that when he was able. Veronica’s initial reaction to his being shot tore at his soul. He couldn’t move for several minutes while his nanotechnology went about repairing him, but hearing her animalistic screech made him want to rush over and comfort her. Tyler concentrated on all the action and conversations around him. No one ever worried about talking in front of the dead. At first, the most notable information was Draken’s conversation with Kraal and their plans in Eastlake City with regard to assassinating the Grand Chancellor and replacing him with his trusted aide, Mr. Barnhardt. Priceless. However, when Veronica had perched on his lap and whispered that she loved him, Tyler wanted to leap up, clutch her to his bulletridden frame, and dance for joy. He hoped she’d feel the same way once he miraculously revived. Tyler silently bided his time seated in the chair, ticking off every transgression that Draken committed against Veronica. Of the five bullets in his chest, the ones that had pierced the lower tip of his heart, his right lung, the edge of his spinal cord, and his stomach were already moving out of his flesh, the nanotechnology knitting behind the injury with rapid power. The final bullet, which had pierced his left lung and lodged dead center in a rib bone, was the difficulty. The bullet was fused to the bone and wouldn’t release. The implants couldn’t repair the injury or

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the surrounding tissue until the foreign object was dislodged, running much like a simplistic computer program. It didn’t know what to do if part of its sequence was stalled and ran in a repeated loop. Blood from that fifth bullet trickled internally, and it felt like an elephant sat on his lung, but when Draken struck Veronica in the face for a second time, Tyler suddenly had the ability to move, albeit at fifty percent power, but he refused to wait any longer. “Draken,” he whispered in warning. Draken turned to stare at him with narrowed brows of confusion. Snapping the ropes that bound his hands, Tyler gripped the seat of the chair with his fingers and used both feet with ankles pushed together to power kick Draken in the face, and off a struggling Veronica. Eyes wide, Draken scrambled backward across the barn floor, dragging his butt through the dust as Tyler rose from the chair and slowly followed. “How can you be alive?” “Guess.” “No one can survive after five bullets to the chest?” “I can. You’re as bad a shot as you are a fighter.” Tyler lifted his bloody shirt revealing his bullet-marked torso as four of the rounds pushed out of his skin and dropped to the floor. The fifth piece of shrapnel didn’t budge, but Tyler pressed through the pain. He lowered his shirt. Several expressions rode across Draken’s features as he obviously tried to reason through Tyler being alive. The additional magic show Tyler put on so Draken could watch bullets pop out of his body was just a bonus. Draken’s eyes narrowed. “You’re a genetic freak!” “And you’re a dead man.” One handed, Tyler grabbed Draken off the floor by the front of his shirt. “You shouldn’t have hit her.” He hauled Draken to his tiptoes and powered a fist into his face. Draken crumpled to the ground in a heap. Tyler took a deep breath, which hurt like hell, and wheezed once.

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“Tyler?” came Veronica’s faint voice from behind him. He turned around slowly to face her and hoped she’d give him a chance to explain. Veronica had gotten to her feet while he flattened Draken. There was a mark on her cheek and a thin trail of blood. He wanted to punch Draken again. “I need to explain.” Tyler wheezed, barely recognizing his own voice. Each inhalation of air was a test of his tolerance for agony. His chest bones felt broken even though he knew it was only one bad rib. “No. You don’t.” She walked toward him, which was good because he couldn’t remember ever being in this much pain. Putting a hand out to touch his torso, Veronica stroked the fabric once before she gently lifted his shirt to view his wound. “There’s only one bullet hole.” “I can explain,” he repeated in a coarse voice. A slight smile curved the edges of her mouth. “You’ve been genetically altered, right?” Tyler nodded because it hurt less than speaking. “I’ve heard scary tales here and there. You know, mostly about sexual vampires, but I’ve never met anyone with genetically altered capabilities before.” She glanced at his eyes quickly and back to his chest. “That I knew of anyway.” “Now you know my big secret,” he rasped out. “You sound awful. Why didn’t the last bullet come out?” Veronica slipped her arm around his waist and helped him back to the chair. Once seated, he could respond, “It’s lodged in my rib. I’ll need medical treatment to remove it.” He paused and caught her eyes. “Special medical treatment.” “Right. So where is your special medic?” “Eastlake City or Maine.” By her expression, Veronica didn’t seem to like either choice, but she nodded. “We should go to Eastlake City.” “I agree. I overheard their plans.” Tyler pointed to Draken. “He’ll

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have to go with us, even though I’d just as soon kill him now.” “I know. As long as he remains bound and gagged.” “Veronica. I need to tell you something.” Tyler grabbed her hand and pulled her closer. She carefully perched on one of his legs so he slipped his arm around her waist. “What?” “I love you, too.” He kissed her mouth and gently slid his hand into the hair at the nape of her neck. Deepening the kiss, Veronica slipped her tongue between his lips scorching him with an unexpected level of intensity. It hurt to breathe, but Tyler didn’t care. He wasn’t stopping the kiss or letting her go. She broke the kiss and murmured, “I’m so sorry about all of this. It’s my fault.” “No. It’s Draken’s. Let me catch my breath and we’ll get out of here.” She stood up and paced for a moment. Glancing at Draken, she stopped and said, “We need a plan.” She grabbed the ropes he’d snapped and found a long enough piece. She rolled Draken over and tied his hands securely behind his back. She fetched an additional length of thick sturdy rope from a hook close by the horse stalls and tied Draken’s legs together firmly. He wasn’t going anywhere. “We need to subdue the men with Valentina and Dylan. There are two left. We’ll head to the airport, get you to your special medic, and send a warning to…someone. I don’t even know who we can call.” “I do.” Tyler grabbed for his communication device and turned it on. “I can call Charles Huntington.” “He’s one of the ten richest men in the country, and you can just call him up?” Tyler grinned. “I’m still officially his primary security guy. Besides, I saved his life once. He owes me.” Veronica looked uncomfortable, but moved off toward where her weapon had landed. Perhaps she wasn’t used to having money after living away from her father. Tyler could easily change that if he could

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convince her to stay. She picked up her gun—the one used to shoot him—stared at it a moment, sighed, and tucked it in the back of her pants. She scooped up his gun and holster and brought it over to where he sat. He couldn’t get through to Charles on his communication device. Veronica started to walk away, but he said, “Come here a minute.” Pulling out his weapon, he pushed a code into the bottom of the gun’s handle. Holding the handle toward her, he said, “Grip the handle for ten seconds.” She frowned, but complied. After ten seconds, it beeped. “What was that about?” “Now if you ever need to use my gun, it’ll fire for you,” he replied quietly. Veronica swallowed hard and her eyes filled up. “Thank you.” “You’re welcome.” He wiped a tear from her cheek. “I’m not being nice. I’m simply being practical.” She grinned. “Whatever you say. So were you aware of your surroundings the whole time after you were shot?” “Yes.” He caught her eye. “But I wasn’t strong enough to move until I kicked Draken off of you.” Nodding, she said, “I figured.” She tilted her head once toward the barn door. “Ready to go?” “As ready as I’ll ever be.” Tyler stood and clenched his teeth through the pain. “I have more guns in the rear section of our vehicle. Unless any of Draken’s men were smart enough to check and take them.” “Doubtful.” She pulled her gun out of the back of her pants and popped out the half-empty cartridge. Reaching into her jacket pocket, she retrieved the full clip and snapped it into place. “We need to find a back door to surprise the two goons in the house.” Veronica nodded, and they made their way to the back corner and

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found a rear door to exit. They carefully and quietly slid along the outer side wall of the barn closest to the house. Tyler hoped like hell that Draken’s men weren’t smart enough to keep watch and look outside. Sneaking across the yard to the back of the house, Veronica left Tyler at the bottom of the back porch stairs to check the windows and determine where everyone was located inside. He didn’t want to have to explain being alive to Valentina and Dylan, but guessed that was out of the question. Tyler loved watching Veronica reconnoiter. She was good at it, too. Very quiet. Careful movements. Quick scans into the windows for information. Sexy as hell. After peeking in two windows, she signaled that all four of them were in the back portion of the house eating. Tyler climbed the porch stairs and met her at the back door. Her barely audible whisper, “I’ll open the door, step in, and nail Draken’s two men.” Tyler whispered in return, “Leave one of them alive. We’ll need information.” She squinted and smiled. “Murder’s not my style. I’ll leave both of them alive.” “I’ll cover you from the door.” Bursting into the room, Veronica shot a hole in the table. Neither of Draken’s men had weapons on them. “Hands in the air,” she yelled. After she had one man tie the other up, Dylan cuffed the second one. Tyler remained at the door until the two were secure then excused himself. Once out on the porch, he tried to call Charles Huntington again. It rang, but there was no answer. Unusual, but not alarming quite yet. Before he could go inside, the phone rang in his hand. It was Snake. “Yeah?” “Boss? You sound like shit.” “Thanks. Do me a favor. Get a hold of Charles. Tell him to stay

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out of reach. Draken sent someone to try and kill him again.” Snake went silent for a second, but returned and said, “I’ll make sure and inform Charles.” “Also sent a contingent of someone we trust to keep quiet to Dylan Norton’s ranch for a clean up.” “What happened to you?” “I have a bullet lodged in my rib. I need medical attention. Set it up for me at the Eastlake City airport, will you? That’s where we’re headed next.” “Did she shoot you?” Snake’s excited tone zinged through the line. “No. Why would you think that?” Snake paused and remained silent on the line for a long while before he said, “I have new information on your wife’s past. Are you ready to hear it?” “Meaning what?” “Meaning it’s bad news.” Through the window of the house, Tyler stared over at Veronica huddled with her sister. He moved his gaze away and tried to prepare himself for bad news. “Tell me.” “She was associated with The Savior’s Hand for several years. Remember them? The clandestine assassin group that kills their own people if they try to leave.” “Yeah. I remember them.” They tried to kill Charles, only I stepped in the way. “I have it on good authority that Veronica was the one who not only orchestrated that mission to assassinate Charles, she’s the one who executed the final shot that you took in the chest.” “What ‘good’ authority?” “Remember that guy who I was checking out to be a possible husband-for-hire to replace you?” “Yeah.”

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“His name is Skip Castellan.” Why did that name sound so familiar? “Who’s that?” “Skip is Veronica’s partner in their Torcher business. She’s a Torcher. Can you believe it?” Tyler remembered Snake was ready to hire a Torcher to get rid of Veronica yesterday. “He says that she was not only a card carrying member of that insane group, she was also the head of assassin training. Complete with a blood-soaked dagger tattoo on her leg, she went on over fifty missions to set up assassinations. There’s no telling how many people she’s killed.” “Maybe zero. Here’s a question. What is Skip’s reason for ratting Veronica out?” Snake hesitated before answering, “He says he wants to clear his conscience. He helped her get to you and wants to make amends.” Tyler snorted without thinking. He put a hand to his chest as if it would help to stop the pain. “But?” “I don’t know if he’s telling the whole truth. I’ll admit that I was quick to jump on his story based on my limited acquaintance with your wife, but I get the feeling that the guy is hiding something. I can’t tell if the something is benign or not.” “Did he say why she isn’t still with the Savior’s Hand?” “Yeah. Because she got kicked out. She had to run for her life and hide all this time because she failed to kill Charles Huntington.” Tyler’s heart hurt worse than his rib for the first time all day. Glancing over at his wife through the window, he watched as she grinned broadly at her sister while they talked. “Did Skip have anything else to add?” “Yeah. But I saved the worst for last. Skip says that she’s been trying to find a way back into the group by completing the mission that she failed so long ago. She’s tracking Charles Huntington to find a way to kill him. And what better way to find his hiding place than to permanently marry his primary security officer and long-time bodyguard?”

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“Jesus.” I’m in love with an assassin. “You okay, boss?” Snake sounded worried. “Anything else?” Tyler wanted to slump down on the porch and hang his head in denial. He wasn’t ready to believe the worst about Veronica yet. Flashes of memory from the assassination attempt on Charles flew through his mind. That had been a very bad day. Today was shaping up to be worse. “Not exactly.” “Tell me.” “It’s not a fact…just an impression I’ve got.” “Fucking, spill it already.” The force of his words caused a muscle spasm in Tyler’s chest and the pain nearly made him black out. “Fine. From the way Skip talks about Veronica, I get the distinct idea that they have enjoyed a special bond of very close friendship, if you get my meaning. Or more like a long standing relationship and Skip seems to expect their tight association will continue regardless of her marital status with other men. I haven’t told him that you married her.” “I see.” Trying not to picture Veronica with another man, Tyler swiped down his face and realized how much he’d perspired from the pain. He wiped his sweat soaked hand on his thigh, and a sharp vivid snatch of memory came to him from the day he’d been shot protecting Charles. Snake cleared his throat as if uncomfortable with the news he’d just told. “What do you want me to do?” “Don’t let Skip out of your sight and bring him with you to Eastlake City. Check us in at the Obelisk. Zachary always keeps a room there. I’ll call you once we land after I get patched up. Then we’ll meet at the Obelisk observatory on top. I’d like to see how they react to each other during a surprise visit.” “Roger that.” Tyler snapped the communication device shut, closed his eyes, and sifted through his memories of the past.

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After the attempt on Charles Huntington’s life, Tyler had expended countless man-hours searching for the infamous Savior’s Hand assassins. Taking a round to his chest, which had pierced his vest, had shattered a rib, and again had nicked his heart, he’d had to playact at being seriously injured so as not to let anyone know he’d healed before the day had ended. The only reason Tyler had discovered the Savior’s Hand existed at all was because he’d found their symbol etched into the wood of the place where the two would-be assassins had lain in wait for Charles. After leaving the hospital, he searched the area across from the guard gate at the Huntington estate. A couple of hundred yards into the woods, Tyler had found in a crudely built hunter’s tree stand where the primary assassin had waited to kill Charles. The line of sight was perfect to take Charles out as he rode out of the gate in his limo. Tyler had done a three-hundred-sixty-degree scan of the perimeter before opening the gate to let Charles leave and had seen nothing. Then came a warning shot that had bounced off the roof of the limo and ricocheted into the wall of the guard shack. He’d stepped in front of the window where Charles waited and scanned the area for further threat. Through his highly sensitive DarkTech nocks, he’d seen a figure dressed in camouflage about to shoot. But not at him. The shooter’s rifle had been aimed left. Tyler had watched this shooter, crouched and ready to fire, wipe his slender trigger hand on one thigh, as if to remove any final moisture, before taking his shot. Before he’d seen this shooter complete his shot, a bullet from the second assassin’s rifle had hit him square in the chest. If he handed Veronica a sniper rifle, he knew she would wipe a hand down one thigh before she took the shot just like she’d done with the rifle at the motel. Was that a standard training procedure for all assassins in The Savior’s Hand? Was she the one who’d shot him in the chest or the one who’d ricocheted a bullet into the top of the

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limo? Tyler wasn’t sure what he’d do if he discovered her complicit in the attempt to kill Charles. God help her if she only pretended to love him right now in order to complete her long-ago task to get back into the Savior’s Hand fold. God help both of them if Skip and Veronica expected their close personal relationship to continue.

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Chapter Sixteen Brutal Blackthorn rushed toward Matthew Westland’s office for a second time in as many days. This time, however, he really was in a hurry, and for a good reason. The shocking and personal information he’d discovered regarding Evie Marsh couldn’t wait a second longer. “You can’t go in there,” Matthew’s secretary, Sharon, erupted from her desk and flew around one side to bar him from the hallway leading to Matthew’s office. Flinging her spindly arms out as if she was strong enough to stop him, Sharon parked herself in his path. “The hell I can’t.” Brutal skirted around her spaghetti thin arms, ignoring the fact that Sharon never barred his way. “He has someone in there with him.” Sharon’s voice trailed behind him as Brutal’s long strides ate up the path to Matthew’s office. “Mr. Westland asked not to be disturbed.” “Doesn’t matter. He’ll want to talk to me.” Brutal tried to open the door to Matthew’s office but realized too late that the door was locked. Forward momentum should have propelled him through the entrance, but instead, he bounced a shoulder off the heavy-paneled door in surprise. Not to be deterred, Brutal raised a fist and pounded on Matthew’s door with no immediate results. Still refusing to be stopped, Brutal backed up a step and shot his foot above the handle as he’d seen done countless times in old movies he watched with Hannah. It worked, partly because Brutal was genetically engineered for strength and also he was equally determined not to fail. He needed to see Matthew. Now. The thick door gave way, albeit reluctantly, and Brutal barged into

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Matthew’s office with Sharon hot on his heals. Matthew, bent over his desk, looked up in surprise. His shirt was unbuttoned, he had lipstick all over his face, his tie was loosened and askew, and Brutal abruptly realized why his door had been locked. The half-naked woman pinned beneath Matthew on his desk rested atop whatever papers Matthew been working on. They rustled beneath her when she shifted to stare at Brutal even though she remained trapped beneath Matthew. The woman’s long blonde hair fanned across Matthew’s name plate, stapler, and desk calendar. A good portion of her lush breasts spilled out of her blouse, only barely encased in a purple lace bra. “Good Lord, have mercy.” Sharon’s frightened voice registered behind him at the exact same time that Brutal recognized the identity of half-dressed woman Matthew currently embraced. It was Sophie, Matthew’s wife. “Get out,” Matthew grated out between clenched teeth. Brutal faltered for only a moment before he said, “I have information on Evie and—” Matthew’s eyes narrowed, and he interrupted Brutal. “Did you just break the lock on my office door?” Brutal turned back to inspect it. Sure enough, the lock was broken. “Yes. I broke the lock. Sue me for it later if you want, but I need to speak to you about Evie Marsh.” “Hi, Brutal,” Sophie said. Her upside down face bore a toothy grin. “Sophie.” Brutal nodded at her once, took a deep breath, and stepped backward. “I’ll just wait outside for a minute.” “Great. Thanks.” Matthew’s sarcasm floated across the room as Brutal pulled the now broken door closed. Sharon, red-faced and silent, retreated back to her desk without another word. Brutal crossed his arms and rested one shoulder against the outer door of Matthew’s office to wait. A few minutes later, Sophie, clothes now intact, exited Matthew’s

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office with a grin in place. Sophie and his wife were sisters. While Brutal thought they resembled each other very closely, that Hannah was the only woman who made his blood stir always surprised him. Even seeing Sophie and her purple bra in a seductive clench with Matthew only made him want to get home to Hannah and find out what color bra she wore today. “Sorry to interrupt,” Brutal murmured. Patting his crossed arms, Sophie smiled and said, “I forgive you. Matt, on the other hand, may not be as generous. Tread lightly.” “Thanks for the advice.” Brutal pushed the door open and entered for a second time. Matthew was seated at his desk. His crisp white shirt was again buttoned, and his tie neatly knotted at his throat, but the entire I’m-awealthy-successful-businessman picture was ruined by the lipstick still smeared across his face. Brutal seated himself at one of the chairs in front of Matthew’s desk with a grin and decided against telling him about the rosecolored stain on his cheek. “First of all, I’m taking the price of the lock out of your paycheck. Second, what was so damned important that you had to kick my door down?” “First of all, you don’t pay me a salary because I’m already richer than you are. And second, I found the name of the man that Evie Marsh married at the prison auction. I thought you’d want to know immediately.” “Who was it?” Brutal crossed his arms. “Evie Marsh was married to a man by the name of Tyler Blackthorn.” “What? Blackthorn?” Matthew squinted, then shook his head as if he hadn’t comprehended. “Is it someone you know? A relative of yours perhaps?” Closing his eyes against the rare wave of emotion coursing

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through him, Brutal answered, “I had a younger brother by the name of Tyler Blackthorn. He died almost twenty years ago.” Briefly, Brutal quietly remembered that night and the perils of his life thereafter. Tyler was dead. By the time he’d made his way home, he’d found that their parents were dead, too. He’d always hung in the shadows and lived on the outskirts of a real life so those who’d killed his family wouldn’t find him and finish him off as well. He was lucky to be alive. Tyler hadn’t been as lucky. “I’m sorry, Brutal. I knew your parents were gone. I didn’t know you had a brother. What happened?” Brutal ducked his head. “He was murdered. But the worst part was that I had to leave his body behind to escape the same fate.” Brutal shook his head trying to keep the raw painful emotions running though his body in check. “Do you want to talk about it?” Matthew asked quietly. “Not really. It was a long time ago.” Brutal and Matthew had already shared their individual genetic implant stories long ago over a bottle of brandy. Matthew had very minimal implants, which made his business acumen and strategy building unequaled in the circles where he worked. It was why he was so rich and successful, and equally, why it was so important to keep the knowledge a secret. Brutal had been implanted with additional strength, dexterity, and the ability to sense other genetically altered men by merely being in their proximity. Another huge secret to the public at large as genetic implants were now outlawed. He thought about his brother, and the pain from that night engulfed him momentarily. “I think someone has stolen his identity. I think you should pay Zachary Valetta a surprise visit and find out what he knows. I’m going with you to meet him. I want you to understand my determination to end this impostor’s hold on my brother’s name.” “Understood. I’ll have Sharon book us a flight for later today.”

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“I already booked us a flight for this afternoon. And I’m bringing Hannah and Ty with me.” Brutal almost stumbled over his son’s name. Ty had been named for his brother Tyler. “Why?” Brutal sighed. “Hannah has wanted to stay at the fancy Obelisk Hotel in Eastlake City for as long as we’ve been married. We’ve never managed to get there in all this time. I’m not allowed to go to Eastlake City without her.” Matthew laughed. “If Jonathan were here, he’d tell you you’re whipped.” “Oh yeah.” Brutal crossed his arms and smiled at the mention of Hannah and Sophie’s younger brother. “If Jonathan were here, he’d tell you that you have lipstick smeared all over your face. And then he’d tell you that you’re more whipped.” **** Veronica pondered the unique day she’d had as she and Tyler prepared to disembark from Zachary Valetta’s private plane in Eastlake City. She’d started her morning with sex in the shower with a man she had admitted she was in love with. He’d given her bullets to fill her gun, had bragged about her ability to shoot, had rescued her from Draken for a second time in as many days, and all well before noon. During the rest of the day, she’d seen Tyler shot at, beaten, killed, brought back to life with nanotechnology, beat the crap out of Draken, confess his love for her, and make plans to stop Kraal’s assassination plan of the Grand Chancellor. Soon after, with a bullet still lodged in his body, he’d promptly retreated into a silent shell, refusing to speak except in one-syllable words for the duration of the flight to Eastlake City. Granted, he was in tremendous pain from the bullet lodged in his rib, but he’d kissed her in the barn and hadn’t so much as smiled at

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her since they left Valentina’s. Not since that moment in the barn had she experienced his mutual aura of attraction and love. She knew he was in excruciating pain when they boarded the plane in Montana, but got the sense that something else had changed his reaction, attention and general level of interest in her. It started after the phone call he’d received while they were at Dylan and Valentina’s place. He wouldn’t tell her who had called, although she suspected it was Snake. With very few words, all of which were obvious agony for him to utter, he told her they would talk more once he was healed. Tyler’s special medic had arrived, and so far, they’d spent over half an hour in the only private room on board the plane. Veronica had not been invited to join them, and as she sat alone, she admitted that she was a little annoyed. A few minutes later, Tyler finally came out of the private quarters area looking gorgeous, sexy, rejuvenated, and strong. Just like the first time she’d met him. Veronica resisted the sudden urge to throw her arms around him and kiss him senseless. “You look a lot better.” She grinned. “Thanks,” he said abruptly. “Are you ready to go?” He strode past her to grab his jacket. His surly attitude remained intact. “What’s wrong?” Tyler didn’t smile or look at her in that way he did like he wanted to eat her up in one bite. He said calmly, “I don’t know what you mean.” “You’ve barely said two words to me since Montana.” Tilting his head to one side, he frowned and said, “I was shot.” “I know, but you were nice to me until you talked on your phone. Who called you in Montana? Was it Snake?” “Perhaps.” She narrowed her vision. “What did he find out about me that pissed you off so much?”

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He shrugged. “What could Snake have found out about you that would piss me off so much?” He sat on the edge of the sofa in the plush center area of the jet, crossed his arms, and stared a hole through her. “I don’t think you love me any more.” He laughed out loud, but she didn’t sense any humor in his tone. “What’s the matter? Are you upset because I was too ill to initiate you into the mile-high club on our way here?” One imperious eyebrow arched upward. Veronica blinked. “No. I just—” He cut her off. “Sorry, doll. Next time we’re in the air and I’m not shot through the chest, I’ll fuck you at thirty thousand feet. How will that be?” Straightening her spine, she whispered, “Why are you so angry with me?” “What reason would I have to be angry with you?” The whole answering her question with a question annoyed her. Before she could respond, he looked away, took his communication device from a pocket, and made another call as if their discussion was over. Veronica listened closely to his side of the cryptic conversation. “It’s me. We just landed…Yeah…We’ll be there.” He paused and listened for several moments. “Alone would be better…Right…Set it up…Later.” Tyler stood without looking at her and walked toward the exit. Before stepping off the plane, he said, “Are you coming or are you waiting for me to carry you?” “I was waiting for you to carry me,” she said and stomped toward the aircraft’s forward hatch. Blocking the door, Tyler turned and glared. His gaze dipped to her mouth, and she could have sworn that he looked hungry. Veronica licked her lips wishing he’d kiss and make up. He leaned closer. She met him more than halfway, wanting to connect if only for a second, but he shook his head and exited the plane without touching her.

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The planet-sized gulf between them remained firmly in place all the way to the luxurious hotel. Any attempt at conversation was met with either terse one-syllable answers or silence. She decided that conversation was overrated in this instance. What could he be so angry about? There was so many things to choose from in her jaded past. Confession of her lengthy list of sins was likely required. However, this childish silent treatment he was saddling her with was meant to goad her into spilling secret information so his anger would be justified. She wasn’t falling for it. Veronica wasn’t even close to her breaking point yet. But unfortunately, it was only a matter of time. Tyler’s anger and subsequent distance while in her immediate presence bothered her more than she had ever expected it might. **** Weak from what the doctor had done to remove the bullet, Tyler decided it too difficult to stay mad at Veronica. Trying to maintain his rage was a losing battle. Why had she told Tyler she loved him after she thought he was already dead? Why would she bother? The ride in the vehicle to the hotel with Veronica seated as far away as possible combined with the utter silence was more excruciating than carrying a bullet across the country in his chest. “Why are you mad at me?” she asked again as they exited the vehicle at the hotel’s curb. He declined to answer walking into the hotel lobby to avoid further conversation, but the wounded tone in her voice was almost believable. He wanted to believe she loved him. Tyler wanted to believe that her partner was a liar and that his wife was not involved in a close, personal relationship with Mr. Castellan. Veronica had hugged his motionless body in that Montana barn and had told Tyler that she loved him with no expectation of him reiterating the sentiment.

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Why would she do that if it weren’t true? He remembered the sound of the wrenching tone in her quivering voice before she kissed his cheek. He’d wanted to hold her tight and never let go. Since when had he ever believed in a happily ever after? Well, that would be never. But perhaps he should give her the benefit of the doubt. What would he lose if he let go of his irrational anger at the mere thought of her with another man? His pride? Pride was overrated. As soon as he got her inside their room, he planned to be nice. And then he’d be nicer. And if she responded, he’d be the nicest man she’d ever known. He smiled to himself as he conjured a sensual visual of nicest with Veronica. **** Entering the lobby of the hotel was like leaving Earth and visiting some celestial retreat. The lighting above her head was staged to duplicate the star-strewn skies of space. Pinpoint lights twinkled above the cavernous lobby, showering them with ambient light as if they’d walked on to an astral plane. Marble in every color she’d ever seen graced each surface with the exception of the sleek leather furniture. She and Tyler crossed the beautiful splendor of the Obelisk Hotel lobby and headed for the desk. Once there, Tyler asked for a package under the name Smith and secured keys for their room. As they stepped away from the concierge she remarked, “Smith. How original.” He grabbed her arm lightly and pushed her towards the bank of elevators. “Original enough for our purposes.” “And what would ‘our’ purposes be?” “That’s need to know, doll.” He paused and pressed the up button for the elevator. “And you don’t.” Veronica sighed and vowed to stop speaking. She wished she had her gun, but it had been left behind on the plane with instructions for a

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later delivery. She felt naked without it, like she’d forgotten something, especially after having been given the freedom to wear her treasured weapon for the past couple of days. Veronica barely noticed the posh beauty of the finest hotel she’d stayed in since forever. Wondering what it would take to keep her secrets from him, she followed Tyler to the elevators in utter silence. She was faltering in her usually solid ability to remain immune to not only the silent treatment tactics but the sexual ones as well. Was it important to keep a secret that he surely had guessed at by now? She’d been responsible for getting him shot. She hadn’t wanted him to know how cruelly those she’d foolishly trusted had betrayed her. Her long-held guilt over his being hurt that day had shaped her life. He’d been a stranger to her then, but she’d spend years wondering if he’d survived. Given his fantastic healing abilities, it turned out that he hadn’t been in jeopardy. Or had he found out about her lengthy involvement with the Savior’s Hand and all they’d taught her? And which offense was more damning in a mercenary’s eyes? They stepped into the elevator, and he pushed the button for the sixteenth floor. She noted the special button located at the top of the panel was labeled observatory. The top floor. If they had really been newlyweds, or still even speaking civilly to each other, perhaps they might have gone sightseeing on the roof. Hating her annoying feelings of abandonment over his silent treatment, Veronica weighed the merits of confessing everything about her past including her hopes and dreams and how the Savior’s Hand had crushed every single one of them the day Tyler had gotten shot saving Charles Huntington. That singular event had shaped the life she now led. There hadn’t been a day in the past five years that she didn’t look over her shoulder, wondering if an assassin she’d worked with had his sights pegged on her merely waiting for the “go” to fire and kill her. Veronica stepped out of the elevator’s corner and positioned

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herself in front of Tyler. She slid her arms around his waist and hugged him tight. For a few more seconds, she pretended they were happy and that they loved each other. Just like they’d been the morning after their wedding. Her heart traitorously whispered, I love you, right before the doors of the elevator opened. Unexpectedly, Tyler cupped her head with one hand and kissed her cheek with a solemn tenderness she didn’t expect. He pressed his forehead against hers and released a long sigh. “Jesus.” She wasn’t sure what that meant, but was encouraged by any response. They rode the elevator to the sixteenth floor. Veronica followed him down the hall at a dead run trying to keep pace with his long strides. Tyler swiped the key card in the slot for their room, and instead of carrying her over the threshold, he grabbed her arm to thrust her into the plush room. Veronica had barely entered and taken a quick glance around when he snapped the door shut, grabbed her into a bear hug, and slammed his mouth down on hers for the most passionate kiss he’d given her to date. He broke the kiss long enough to whisper, “I’m sorry.” Licking and stabbing his tongue inside her mouth, he soon pressed her against the door of the suite with a tortured sounding groan. Veronica’s brain eventually assigned meaning to his whispered words. He was sorry? She broke from the kiss to murmur, “Why sorry?” His hands moved down her sides stopping to tenderly massage her breasts until her nipples popped to attention like two good soldiers when the commanding officer nears. Tyler dotted her lips with chaste kisses. “For being such a prick all day.” She softened. “Well, you had a bullet lodged in your chest for the

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better part of it. I understand that might make you a little grumpy. And it was my fault that you got shot.” Tyler pulled back to stare. “It wasn’t your fault—” Cutting him off, Veronica spoke quickly, “Yes it was. I made a fool of Draken, and he took it out on you. I’m so sorry.” “Is that what you think?” “Yes. So I can appreciate your animosity.” Clasping her tight to his chest again, Tyler whispered, “You didn’t do anything wrong. I’m not angry. Let me prove it to you.” “How are you going to—” His hands slid to her breasts to massage gently and her mouth stop working. Pinching and rubbing her pert nipples was only the beginning of his lusty and long overdue seduction. His mouth clasped to hers, and soon his hands wandered down to her hips. He pulled her groin into his stiffening cock rubbing against her until he was fully erect. He lifted her up, so she spread her legs and he pressed his thick shaft between her thighs over and over until she nearly climaxed. His hungry kiss didn’t abate as he made love to her with agonizing tenderness through the layers of their clothes. Blind with need, Veronica broke the sultry kiss and pushed him back enough to pull her shirt off. His ferocious gaze tore through her only long enough to comprehend why she’d stopped. He yanked his shirt off, as well. She pulled her bra off over her head not stopping to unhook it in her haste to feel his naked skin pressed to hers. Tyler embraced her quickly and dropped a kiss on her shoulder before he pulled away. He palmed a breast in each hand and bent his head to suckle one nipple while he rolled the other between clever fingers. She wanted sex and couldn’t wait a second longer. While he aroused her breasts, sending pulses of desire to her drenched core, she undid her jeans and pushed them off her hips. When her bare ass hit the cold of the door, she reached to undo his pants. Tyler kissed a path to her other breast and nibbled the nipple until she thought she might

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climax. Tyler abruptly released her breasts and, taking her face in his hands for a moment, kissed her tenderly. Soon he snaked a hand down between her legs and fingered her clit, swirling his thumb over the sensitive nub as he sent his fingers skimming delightfully between her lower lips. His tongue pushed in and out of her mouth to the same rhythm as his fingers inside her pussy. Tyler disengaged from her mouth and fell to his knees. In the next second, his tongue had replaced his fingers between her pussy lips, licking the gush of essence pulsing below. Veronica shrieked when his lips closed over her clitoris. He only sucked on her twice before an orgasm of unfathomable pleasure rode through her core with an intensity she’d never felt before. At least not since the last time they’d had sex. Legs quivering in post-climactic bliss, Veronica clamped her hands on his shoulders to keep from sliding down the door. He kissed a path to her breasts, kissed each nipple tenderly, then kissed higher until he nuzzled her neck and nipped at the tender spot beneath her jaw. He spent so much time nibbling there, she wondered if he’d left a mark, but didn’t care. Veronica was his in holy Tiberius matrimony, and right now, she was experiencing one of the benefits to that union. Veronica slid her hand to his cock, which was thick and as hard as stone. She grasped his shaft and squeezed wanting nothing more than to throw him to the floor and impale herself on his rigid cock until she was satisfied. He stopped nibbling and a tight breath hissed between his teeth the second she touched his erection. She undid his pants, put her hand on his cock, and stroked up and down once before he growled and pinned her to the hard surface. Retrieving his dick from her grip, he directed it between her legs and thrust upward until he was lodged deeply in the slippery, wet confines

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of her pussy. “Ohmigod, you feel amazing.” Tyler pulled his cock out half way and then slammed inside her again. His face pressed against hers, and he groaned in her ear as he found a smooth rhythm. She locked her legs around his waist and wrapped her arms over his shoulders as he took her hot and hard against the hotel door. His thick cock filled her all the way to her womb with each and every deep stroke, and she soon found herself on the pinnacle of another orgasm. As if he read her mind, Tyler slipped a hand between them and stroked her clit until the pressure built to a crescendo, and she cried out with another climax so rich and intense her eyes watered and her lips went numb in the aftermath. He growled the moment she came and slammed his cock between her pussy lips one last time followed by a long shudder unmistakable as anything but release. After a long moment of post-climatic recovery, she dropped her legs to the carpeted floor, and he moved his cock out of her. “I’m glad you aren’t mad at me any more,” she said, panting. She hugged him close and kissed his collarbone tenderly. He clenched her in his arms, and he replied, “You’re hard to be mad at, baby doll.” Pressing his face into her neck, he nibbled a path to her mouth for another sensuous kiss. “Why is that?” A deep laugh escaped his throat. “I’m insatiable where you’re concerned.” The sexy mercenary was back, and Veronica was ready to admit to herself that she’d been a little frightened of how long his annoyance would last and what the end result might be. He pulled back, but she held on gripping her fingers into his arms. “Why were you angry?” Her voice cracked with emotion. Tyler’s stance tightened until he glanced down at her nude body,

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and he visibly relaxed. Winking at her with a half smile shaping his lips, he said, “Doesn’t matter. Let’s go find the bed.” “My, you are insatiable. What do you have in store for me next?” Without answering, Tyler leaned closer and kissed her question away with another low rumble of laughter. Grateful to hear his amusement versus facing his wrath, she stopped asking questions. With his lips fastened to hers, he pulled her into the bedroom without any further protest. After yet another enthusiastic round of lovemaking, involving a new position with her ankles looped over his shoulders as he took her voraciously, Veronica rested beneath Tyler in the lush hotel bed. “I can’t move.” Relaxed in a way that only orgasmic sex accomplished, Veronica could hardly keep her eyes open and forming words was becoming difficult. “You don’t have to. Just sleep. I’m going to shower.” Tyler gently kissed her cheek and extracted himself from the bed as she dozed off. A few minutes later, Veronica woke to a buzz she hadn’t heard for far too long. Her communication device signaled with a vibrating rumble across the nightstand. The sound of water from the behind the bathroom door meant Tyler was probably still in the shower so she couldn’t have been asleep too long. Stretching as she reached to get the message her alert status ramped up to read the communication device’s small screen. Veronica, you’re in grave danger. I know you’re in the Obelisk Hotel. Meet me in the observatory on the top floor. Hurry. Skip Veronica overlooked the message about her being in grave danger. She already knew that. She couldn’t believe Skip was here. Glancing over at the bathroom door, the sounds of Tyler’s shower continued. She didn’t want to make her husband mad again, but she

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Chapter Seventeen Tyler spent a long time in the shower thinking about his life. After being an idiot all day but having the sense to realize it and make nice with his wife before things got ugly, he was ready to approach her about keeping their relationship permanent. Dreading having to leave her to go meet Snake, Tyler finally shut the steaming water off, toweled off quickly and exited the bathroom. “Bab—” He stopped mid-word when he realized that the bedroom was empty. He wrapped the towel around his hips and strode out into the main part of the suite. It was also empty. He couldn’t believe it. Veronica was gone. Tyler scooped up his communication link and called Snake. Without preamble, he barked, “Where’s Skip?” “On the roof. He made a call a few minutes ago. Now it looks like he’s waiting for someone. I’ve got eyes on him.” “Keep an eye out for Veronica. I’m on my way to you.” Snake released a long sigh. “Use the private express elevator. I’m one floor above the observatory platform on the balcony.” Noticing for the first time that all of Veronica’s things were gone, Tyler set the record for speed dressing. He realized as he snapped his pants that all of her meager belongings hadn’t been delivered yet. All she had were the clothes on her back and whatever she carried in her pockets. He didn’t know why he was so surprised she was finally gone, since he’d been expecting her to disappear every night they’d been together. The reality of her absence made his heart hurt worse than carrying the bullet in his chest for two thousand miles earlier today. The mere

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thought of her duplicity with another man destroyed him. Seeing her with Skip might vanquish him completely, but he had to know. He hastened out of the room and took the express elevator to the top of the hotel. The private car opened up into an expensively tiled two-story foyer. The design on the floor pointed to a set of half stairs. Snake waited near the railing at the top of the second-floor landing. Tyler hurried to meet him. Silently, Snake led him up a second set of stairs and along the floor to a perch which looked down to the observatory below. Many people milled around the edges of the observation level, looking out at the stunning view of Eastlake City’s evening lights. “Skip is the young pup dressed completely in black loitering by the second post,” Snake remarked. Tyler focused his first gaze on Veronica’s partner. Young pup was an accurate description. If he’d had acne, Tyler would have thought he was a teenager. “How old is he?” “Twenty-three.” Tyler remained silent until Veronica showed up. From the direction of the stairs, she partially hid behind a column and searched the observatory level. Tyler, suddenly antsy, looked for an exit to the floor below. “I need to hear them.” “Relax.” Snake handed him an ear bud. “I wired Skip.” Tyler arched an eyebrow. Snake smiled. “Well, he doesn’t know it.” Tyler pushed the receiver ear bud into place and shifted his focus from Snake to his wife greeting her partner. Veronica glanced around the room once more before spotting Skip. She sent him a bright smile and moved towards him. Tyler’s heart skipped a beat in jealousy. “Skip,” came Veronica’s sexy voice in his head. Tyler heard the excitement in her tone, and acid boiled in his belly. “Veronica.” Skip opened his arms wide, and she flew into them

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as if greeting a long lost friend…or lover. Tyler’s heart thudded painfully in his chest. Veronica, with arms firmly around Skip’s neck, squeezed him tight. Genuine delight encompassed her face, and Tyler had to force air into his lungs to watch the embrace. After a few endless moments, Veronica released him. “I thought you were dead,” Skip murmured. “I didn’t get yesterday’s message until this morning.” Tyler noticed that Skip kept his hands on Veronica’s shoulders. His bony fingers, starkly visible against her dark jacket, held fast. “My communications device was left uncharged for quite a long time. I guess it took a while to charge for transmissions.” “Are you ready to go back into hiding?” Even from this distance, Tyler could see Veronica stiffen in surprise and Skip’s hands dropped from her shoulders. “No. What are you talking about?” “Before you left to rescue Valentina. You said we’d shut everything down and head for Canada. Otherwise, the Savior’s Hand might hunt you down after you’d been seen alive. I’m ready to go. We can live together in Canada. I’ll take care of you like the way it was before you left. I love you. I always have.” Desperation colored his tone. “Skip.” Veronica looked pained. “Things have changed.” Tyler understood everything in that moment. Skip harbored a secret crush and Veronica hadn’t noticed. “Even if everything weren’t different, I don’t love you that way. You’re like a brother to me. I thought you understood that.” Skip reached out for her, but she dodged his touch. He fisted his hands and bounced them off his thighs as they stared at each other. Veronica took a deep breath and exhaled. “What’s this about me being in danger.” Skip glanced around at the nearby patrons before fixing his gaze on her again.

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“Tyler Blackthorn is dangerous. You can’t trust him.” Veronica’s face sobered, and she took another step away from Skip. “You’re wrong. I can trust Tyler. He’s my husband. My permanent husband.” “He marries women and sells them off for a profit. Know why he kept you?” “It was my decision, I made the marriage permanent.” “How convenient for him.” Skip laughed with no humor in his tone and shook his head as if in disgust. “He’s using you, and you’re so foolish you don’t even realize it.” “He saved me, Skip. More than once.” “Tyler Blackthorn is genetically engineered.” “I know that. So what?” “So…how do you think he fuels all that aggression? I knew a guy with implants a while back. Don’t you know how he feeds all that power? Sex. Lots of it. And as often as possible.” Veronica’s expression was uncertain. “I don’t understand what you are implying.” “He needs sex to make his implants work. He’s using you like a rechargeable battery. And what’s worse is that you’re letting him.” Skip’s sullen expression made Tyler seethe. Skip then leaned in close to Veronica and inhaled. “Smells like you just fucked him. I guess he needed a booster shot, huh? Was he stronger afterward?” The indistinct noise that came out of Veronica’s throat sounded shocked. Tyler didn’t want her to find out about him this way. “I loathe the fact that you let yourself be used like a cheap whore,” Skip murmured. “How do I get down there?” Tyler asked. Snake pointed to another set of stairs in the far corner of the balcony area and followed him down to the ugly confrontation below. ****

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Veronica, rife with guilt for leaving the room without telling Tyler, squinted at Skip as if he were an alien. “Did he look stronger afterward?” She tried to speak, but Veronica was so angry only a squeak came out of her throat. “I loathe the fact that you let yourself be used like a cheap whore.” “Shut up. That’s none of your business.” Suddenly self-conscious about how she smelled, Veronica backed up a step. “What is wrong with you?” Skip crossed his whipcord lean arms and huffed. “You changed after you came back from Valentina’s wedding. Acting all excited like you had a secret. The minute I saw that note, I knew you weren’t thinking straight.” “What note?” “The illegal one that you carried everywhere except for the shower.” His mouth puckered as if he tasted something nasty. “It was from him, wasn’t it? You were going to meet him.” Veronica declined to respond. “Who is T? Who were you going to meet at the Overton Warehouse before the search-bots picked you up?” From behind her, Veronica heard footsteps and Tyler’s voice. “I’m T. She was coming to meet me before she got caught.” Veronica had been expecting Tyler to show up any minute. She’d left a note on his pillow back in their room telling him where she’d gone. An ugly thought suddenly occurred to Veronica. “Wait a minute. How did you know about the search-bots?” Skip’s brows arched sharply in fury. “Who do you think called your father and told him where to look for you?” “Ohmigod! You? You were the one who betrayed me?” Skip’s sullen eyes suddenly filled with tears. “I didn’t think they would catch you. I thought you would run back to me, and we’d go to

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Canada like we planned.” He sniffed. “When you didn’t show up, I didn’t know what to do. “I snuck into your father’s house, but you weren’t in your room.” Skip glanced hatefully at Tyler. “I got a job with the mercenary’s organization to see if they had you. I didn’t see you until a couple of days ago, but you were kissing him. So I told Snake about the Savior’s Hand and a little white lie that that we were already lovers. I thought we would be by the time we settled in the north.” “After the search-bots took me home, my father put me in the basement and tried to marry me off to Draken again. How could you betray me like that?” Skip didn’t speak for a long while. “I’m sorry. I just wanted it to be the way it was before you left.” Veronica backed up and into Tyler, who was stationed stoically behind her. Wrapping his arms around her body, he gently rested his chin on one shoulder. Tears splashed down her face and onto his forearms. Veronica hated to cry. She so rarely allowed emotion a free reign, but after everything that had happened today, she decided she was due. Besides, Tyler’s arms comforted her. Snake circled from behind Tyler and grabbed Skip’s arm. He gave her the first non-hostile look since she’d met him and asked, “Where do you want me to take him?” She was about to shrug, but then asked, “Can you send him on to Canada? He has friends there.” “No problem.” Snake winked at her and pulled Skip along. Skip whispered as he passed by, “I’ll always love you, Veronica.” “Good-bye, Skip,” she managed. Veronica turned in Tyler’s arms, hugged him tight, and promptly sobbed her heart out. Betrayal sucked. **** They left Snake to deal with Skip appropriately. Tyler held her

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until she stopped crying, helped her into the elevator, and pushed the number sixteen button for their floor. Pulling her into his arms, he crushed her to his chest. “I’m sorry, doll. I didn’t know he betrayed you.” “I swear I didn’t know he felt that way about me. But I should have.” She leaned her head on his shoulder. “Is that why you were mad on the plane? Because he told Snake we were lovers?” “Yes. Unfortunately, I let jealousy rule my better judgment.” “What made you change your mind?” He squeezed her. “You told me that you loved me after you thought I was dead. I couldn’t think of a reason for you to do that if it wasn’t true.” Veronica remained quiet for only a few moments. “Is what he said about your implants true?” “What do you mean?” Tyler knew exactly what she meant, but didn’t want to elaborate. “All that stuff about sex to charge up your implants. Is that true?” The quiet resignation in her tone made him ache for her. Tyler squeezed her and wished that he didn’t have to explain about that right now. Afraid she would see it as yet another betrayal, he was about to change the subject, but the elevator slowed its descent. On the twenty-first floor, the elevator stopped, and the doors opened. Tyler released Veronica, glad to head off the current discussion for a few moments and postpone answering her questions. He held her hand and waited until the new arrivals were aboard. No one came in at first. He thought he was about to have that difficult discussion after all. From outside the door, Tyler heard the musical sounds of laughter from a small child. The tot in question came screaming past the closing elevator doors and tackled into Tyler’s leg squealing as if in utter delight. Behind him, a woman shouted. “Tyler Gregory Blackthorn, get

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back here this instant.” A small blonde woman appeared briefly in the narrow crack of the closing door, and Tyler heard her shriek and pound a fist against the outside of the elevator panel as the elevator promptly descended to the lobby. Veronica smiled at the child and asked, “Why did that woman call your name?” Tyler looked down at the little boy. “I think she was calling him.” The dark-headed child detached from Tyler’s leg, tottered back a few steps, and almost fell on his little butt before catching his balance to charge forward again. He grinned at Tyler, pointed and said, “Da.” His big brown eyes reminded Tyler so much of Tommy that a lump formed in his throat. “Did he just call you dad?” Tyler shot her a panicked look. “He said da.” “Close enough. Besides, he looks like you. Is there something else you aren’t telling me?” “Like what?” he said, absently staring at the boy. “Like you have a second family shacked up at this hotel. And I have to share you for the duration of the trip.” “Don’t be ridiculous.” The elevator stopped at their floor, but they decided to go back up to twenty-one. Tyler pushed the button. However, the elevator headed for the lobby instead of ascending. The little boy reached his skinny arms toward Tyler and said, “Up. Up. Da.” Veronica raised her eyebrows and tilted her head in obvious disbelief. Tyler hadn’t ever been around young children very much in his life, but he carefully picked the boy up and cradled him in one arm. The child put a hand on his chest and dropped his small, sweet head on Tyler’s shoulder. Tyler leaned a cheek on the little boy’s soft hair. He smelled like baby shampoo and peanut butter. Something about this child made a knot form in his chest. His eyes were so like the memory of his

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brother Tommy’s. Tyler sucked in a deep breath to hold his emotions in check. The three of them descended all the way to the lobby, and when the door opened, Tyler couldn’t quite take in the unexpected sight of the large man who immediately crowded inside the elevator before they could move. The tall stranger with a familiar face barked, “Hand me my son! And I mean now!” Tyler hugged the boy tighter as he watched the man in utter fascination. The word came from his lips before he even realized he’d spoken. “Tommy?” **** No one ever called Brutal by the name Tommy any more. He’d been called Brutal since the heydays of his short-lived ring fighting career in the north. His parents had called him Thomas along with and an exgirlfriend who’d referred to him as Thomas because she refused to say the ‘barbaric’ name Brutal, but the only person ever in the history of the earth that had ever called him Tommy had been his little brother Tyler. The man before him, holding his son looked exactly like his brother. How could it be? “Tyler?” Brutal heard the name escape from his lips. “Da,” Ty said very loudly and reached his little hands out toward a motionless Brutal. He shook off his surprise and grabbed his precious son close without taking his eyes off of the stranger. Ty shifted in his arms and waved at the stranger who couldn’t be anyone but his brother, Tyler. “Is it you? They said you died.” “No. You were dead,” Brutal insisted. “You got shot in the back. I felt for a pulse. Your eyes were open. You were definitely dead.”

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His brother smiled and said, “I recovered.” The elevator doors, after trying to close several times, released an ugly sounding alarm to signal that the door was stuck open. The four of them backed out of the elevator and into the lobby area. “How did…” But Brutal knew how. He sensed Tyler’s genetic implants just as he sensed that this man was indeed his brother. “You got the implants.” The healing technology offered had been incredibly experimental at the time. Tyler nodded. “They told me you fell off a cliff and splattered in a ravine.” Brutal stood rooted in place unable to take a step closer for some reason. “I heard that from someone who left the facility later. They lied because the didn’t want to admit that I escaped. They’d invested so much money in my training and everything.” Ty giggled at the tall blonde with his brother and reached for a strand of her hair. Brutal twisted in time to save her from losing a clump. “You’re a dad,” Tyler remarked with a grin. He nodded as his phone rang. Brutal answered it because it was Hannah. “I have him,” he said in lieu of a greeting. “He’s fine. No, I’ll come up to you. Stay put.” “My wife, Hannah,” he explained and hung up the phone. “I was waiting for her in the lobby.” “Come to our room. We can talk. Catch up.” Tyler looked over at the tall blonde with him. She smiled, but the attitude didn’t reach her eyes. It looked like she’d been crying. “This is my wife Veronica,” Tyler said quietly. Brutal stuck out a hand. “Great to meet you.” She took his hand tentatively. “Likewise.” She studied each of them for several seconds before nodding toward the elevator as it opened. Silently, the four of them entered, and Brutal pushed the button

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for the twenty-first floor. His brother being suddenly alive was so shocking that Brutal knew it would take some time for the information to process. Where had Tyler been all this time? **** Once in his brother’s plush room, Tyler was introduced to Matthew Westland, Tommy’s brother-in-law. He knew the name because Zachary was shitting bricks about his inquiries regarding Evie Marsh. Interestingly enough, Tommy was known by the name Brutal. A harsh sounding nickname, but given his appearance, an accurate one perhaps. Tyler wondered if Zachary knew that Matthew Westland was already in Eastlake City ready for a confrontation. Still unaccustomed to having his brother alive and back in his life, Tyler was hesitant to spill everything. Once they’d all introduced everyone, including Tommy’s wife Hannah, they sat in the living room area of the hotel room. “Do you know where my cousin is?” “Zachary didn’t hurt Evie.” Tyler assured Matthew. “Where is she, then?” Matthew asked. “I’d like to speak to her and assure myself she’s safe.” “Let me make a phone call. Then I’ll tell you what I can.” Tyler sighed. Tommy and Matthew exchanged a long stare and came to some sort of silent agreement because his brother then nodded. “Go ahead.” Tyler dialed Zachary, who picked up on the first ring. “Where have you been?” Zachary asked disregarding any greeting. “The jet has been parked for hours.” “I had some things to take care of and some surprises to deal with.” “Surprises? Don’t I know it. The shit is seriously hitting the fan in

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the Tiberius world today.” “Why?” “The Grand Chancellor is scheduled to do his annual status of the nation reading tomorrow, but with all the assassinations in the past month, security is a bitch to get through on a day-to-day basis in every government building. The city is almost in lockdown, but I have no doubt that if an assassin is really here, he’s probably already set up and ready to go.” Tyler realized he’d been so preoccupied with Veronica that he’d failed to report Kraal’s activities to anyone but Snake. “I have news about that, but first I need to tell you something else.” “Wait. Me first. I got a call from Matthew Westland a short while ago. He’s in town with one of his hired thugs and wants to meet, pronto. You need to take care of this, Tyler.” “Actually, that’s what I called about.” “I don’t have time to deal with Matthew Westland or his hired muscle. I’m not telling him anything.” “You don’t have to worry about him any more if you’d just let me speak.” There was sudden silence at the end of the line. Zachary blew out a long breath. “Okay. I’ll play along. Why don’t I have to worry about Matthew Westland any more?” “Long story, but the fast version is that the ‘thug’ he brought with him is my brother Tommy.” “Tommy’s alive? How is that possible?” “The Genetex people lied about the circumstances of his death, shockingly enough. Tommy is the hired muscle accompanying Matthew Westland. They’re related by marriage. We can trust him. At least that’s what my gut tells me.” “Amazing,” Zachary murmured. The line went silent for several long seconds before he added, “While I’d love to trust you and your gut without question, I’d like to meet him for myself before we spill all and put my wife in jail with our unborn child. All right?”

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“Yes. Fine. What have you told Evie?” “Nothing. I didn’t want to upset her.” “Ask her if she’d like to see Matthew. We could meet in a neutral place.” “Where are you?” “I’m staying at the Obelisk Hotel in the room you keep reserved.” “Jesus, my jet and my hotel room? Need any money?” “Very funny. I just took your biggest concern off your plate. Show some gratitude.” Zachary cleared his throat. “Fine. Let’s meet, but it’ll have to be tomorrow after the Grand Chancellor speaks.” “No, it needs to be tonight. I have information that you’ll need to get to someone in high Tiberius circles.” “Regarding?” “The Grand Chancellor. I know who the assassin is. He’s real, and he’s out in the city somewhere. Plus, I got a call requesting my services as a bodyguard. Mr. Barnhardt, the Grand Chancellor’s righthand man, called me yesterday after we spoke. Said Charles gave him my name.” “I don’t believe it. Charles wouldn’t give out your name not for that anyway.” “So where did Mr. Barnhardt get it and why did he call me?” “Everyone knows you took a bullet for Charles and lived to tell the tale. I expect he’s just covering his bases because of all the assassination attempts. Any security guy or bodyguard that’s ever taken a bullet for anyone is on the Chancellor’s list.” “There’s more, but we need a secure place to speak.” Tyler glanced over at Veronica. She looked a little beaten down all of a sudden. “Give me a hint.” “It’s possible Barnhardt’s behind the assassination attempts.” Another long silence passed on the line before Zachary said, “All right. We’ll meet tonight. I’ll head over to the Obelisk Hotel. What

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room are they in?” “Twenty-one twelve.” “I’ll be over as soon as I can. If I get a warm fuzzy feeling, then I’ll invite Matthew back to the townhouse and Evie can explain. At least once I’m assured we can trust him to keep quiet about her alter identity.” “You mean Tiffany?” “Yeah. Thanks for thinking up that name, by the way. She really hates it.” “Well, give her all my love, hugs, and kisses. I’m sure that will cheer her right up.” “Shut up. See you soon.”

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Chapter Eighteen Tyler sent Tiffany all his love hugs and kisses again. Veronica tried to believe it was just a joke, but her defenses were beaten all to hell. Skip betraying her had taken a tremendous chunk out of her selfesteem. Tyler’s brother Brutal and his wife Hannah seemed nice enough. They put their son to bed and passed out glasses of wine to celebrate the unexpected reunion. She endeavored to be happy about their new found alive status. The truth was that Veronica wanted to curl into a ball and die. She couldn’t help but wonder at Tyler’s true motives for marrying her. Why did he want to keep her? Did he love her as he said? Or was he one more addition to an endlessly long list of men who used her only to betray her in the end? The list started with her father and ended with the most recent betrayal, Skip. While his intentions were obviously based on his silent, long-time infatuation, Veronica didn’t think she wanted to test Tyler. If she left now, she’d never know for sure. As much as disappearing would break her heart, the greater risk was remaining only to find out that he was using her as sexual fuel for his genetic implants. She should find Kraal and dispose of him before the GC was killed and those of Draken’s ilk were put in place of the Tiberius idiocy. The Grand Chancellor and the entire Tiberius Group certainly weren’t acceptable, but putting Draken and Kraal in charge, or anyone else they associated with, like her despicable father, would be worse.

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As much as she loathed the idea, the Grand Chancellor would have to be saved tomorrow. “Veronica.” Tyler’s voice startled her out of her morbid and uncomfortable reverie. She searched his eyes for the truth to his actions. Had he allowed their permanent union so he could have access to sex? Was that the worst thing that had ever happened to her? No, not really, but it disheartened her. It made her question the basis for their shiny new relationship. “Why did you marry me?” Veronica asked Tyler. Four sets of eyes were suddenly riveted on her. Tyler’s eyebrows arched, and his expression dissolved into what looked like panic. “To save you from Draken.” “But why? Why would you do that?” He glanced at the others, apology crinkling his face, but Veronica didn’t care if this topic made him uncomfortable. She needed answers before she contemplated her next move. Tyler sighed deeply. “Because I was infatuated with you from the first moment that we met.” The other three people in the room remained silent, but their attention showed they were very interested in Tyler and Veronica’s personal conversation. “I’m convenient, too. Isn’t that right? You can just use me for sex anytime you want to fuel your awesome abilities without having to search around for a willing female? Or an unwilling one.” “It’s not like that.” Tyler sent yet another uncomfortable gaze to the others in the room, then admitted, “I love you, Veronica. I’ve wanted you to be my permanent bride for a long time. Well before we were ever married. I didn’t even take on any other temporary wives after I met you. Ask Snake.” She believed him. Having Tyler admit all that in front of witnesses including his long-lost brother and family only added to his charm.

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She nodded. “That’s so sweet. You’re such a nice man whether you believe it or not.” He rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. Veronica felt a tear escape down her cheek. “I don’t deserve you. I’ve done horrible things.” “Not true, baby doll. I know you.” Veronica was miserable. She needed to confess before another second went by. He deserved the truth. The whole truth about her past. “No, you don’t. I was responsible for you getting shot.” “We’ve been over this. It wasn’t your fault. Draken—” She cut him off. “No. Not today. Five years ago. You stepped in front of a bullet for Charles Huntington. I was there. I planned that assassination attempt.” Tyler stared and nodded. “I know.” She shook her head. “Because Skip told you?” “No. Because I saw you that day.” She leveled a glare at him. “You couldn’t have. I was completely covered.” Tyler crossed his arms and bored a look straight through her. “You have a tell when you shoot a rifle. I watched you do it this morning right before we left that motel in Montana.” “What?” “You wipe your hand down your thigh before you take your first shot. You saved my life five years ago. Plus, you kept Charles from getting killed. Tell me I’m wrong.” She squinted. He was right. Wiping a hand down her thigh was a part of the sequence she went through in preparation to fire her weapon. “The person you saw? What makes you think it was me?” Her head bowed. She didn’t want to stare him down any more. “Besides the tell? I feel it in my gut. You fired the warning shot which bounced off the top of the limo. True?” After several moments, she nodded slightly. “That action enabled me to step in front of the second bullet meant for Charles.”

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Veronica put her hands to her face and sobbed. “I was supposed to kill him.” She wiped away the foolish tears that trailed down her face because she worried about losing Tyler forever once he knew about her sordid past. “I set up the entire mission to assassinate Charles Huntington. At the opportune moment, I was given the command to fire. I had the best shot.” “But you didn’t fire at Charles.” Shaking her head, Veronica tried to explain her actions. “I’d been on over fifty missions for the Savior’s Hand, setting up possible assassination attempts on the Tiberius hierarchy. That day was the first time they ever demanded I take the kill shot.” “But you didn’t. Why not?” She shot her gaze to his. “I didn’t want to be a killer. I’ve never wanted to kill anyone. I told them no. They threatened me, but I couldn’t take someone’s life. I just couldn’t do it.” “My only question is why were you with the Savior’s Hand in the first place?” Tyler asked quietly. “Because they lied to me.” She dropped her head into her hands and sobbed once. “And because I was so stupid.” “Also not true, baby doll. You’re smart and motivated.” A bark of mirthless laugher escaped her throat. “Naïve, then.” She lifted her head and stared into his eyes. “I believed them when they told me I was in training to be an Enforcer for the Lawmen. I wanted to be a lawman so desperately that I spent years overlooking all sorts of uncomfortable practices that should have been huge warning bells for me to escape.” “Sometimes escape isn’t the answer.” Tyler glanced at his brother, who nodded slightly. “Well, it was my answer. They took me back to the training facility, and I learned the whole truth about the Savior’s Hand organization and what a fool I’d been. They locked me up to formally shoot me at dawn in front of the other ranks, but I found a way out of my prison cell and ran for my life. That earned me a place on their

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permanent shitlist.” “Where did you go?” She released a long sigh. “I got away into the woods and headed to Canada. I ditched absolutely everything that identified me along the way. After reaching the Canadian border, I backtracked out again and made my way toward my family so I could keep an eye on my sister.” “See? Smart and motivated.” “Dumb luck. I eventually found Skip, and he helped me stay out of sight underground. I couldn’t have survived without him. I stayed hidden so they wouldn’t find me and made plans to rescue Valentina.” “Why did you choose my husband-for-hire group?” Veronica looked away from his intense regard. “I don’t know what you mean.” “There are any number of groups that don’t have all of the stringent rules that I do, nor do they have the same extensive costs. Why me?” “I heard that you survived the shot to your chest. But I needed to see with my own eyes that you were okay.” “How did you know it was me in Maine?” “I organized the shoot. I knew everything about Charles Huntington, including how his top bodyguard was known as the best security money could buy.” “Why didn’t you know about my survival? It was quite the item for a while.” “Once I went into the wind, I had to hide out for ‘quite a while,’ and it was harder to get information. Everything underground has a price.” “Including me.” “Yes. I was shocked that you had survived. Now I know why. Would you have lived if not for your special implants?” He shrugged. “Possibly. There’s no way to ever know.” “I’m grateful that you lived.” “Me too. So why bring up all of this now?”

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Veronica bowed her head. “I need to stop Kraal. Now that I know he’s with the Savior’s Hand, I know how he thinks. I know how he operates. I know exactly where he’ll set up to take the shot tomorrow.” “How?” “I’ve done this scenario before. There are four long-range niches, if you will, for Kraal to set up his weapon, get off a shot, and be on his merry way before the body hits the ground. Once the Chancellor begins his speech, Kraal will target him and shoot.” “Is he as good a shot as you are?” Veronica paused at the compliment and stifled a smile. “I don’t know. Kraal wasn’t there when I was with them. He might know me because I’m the only one who ever got away.” “Why didn’t he kill you in Montana?” She shrugged. “Maybe because Draken wanted me. After he’d used me, he would have, no doubt, turned me over to Kraal. I never expected to be Draken’s wife for very long. Kraal would have been given leave to haul me back to the Savior’s Hand for public evisceration. No one ever gets away from them. Not forever.” “Until you.” “But only until they find me. And Kraal knows I’m alive.” “No one will find you, baby doll. I’ll see to it.” “How?” “We’ll tell Zachary. He’s the most powerful prosecutor in Eastlake City. He’ll make sure the local Lawmen take care of all the places Kraal could possibly shoot from. They’ll pick him up. You don’t have to worry about him any more.” “Let’s face it. I’ll always be looking over my shoulder. He’s not the only one after me.” “Baby doll, I run one of the premier security services in the country. You said so yourself. I will find all the members of the Savior’s Hand, ensure they go to jail forever, or die screaming. Preferably the second choice.”

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Matthew leaned over to Brutal. “You know, this is better than late night movies.” “No kidding,” Brutal added. “And I thought we led interesting lives.” Tyler grinned at his brother, then pulled Veronica into his arms, and covered her mouth with his in front of everyone. He broke the kiss, and without looking at anyone, he said, “I’m taking my wife to our room. She’s had a difficult day. We’re in room eighteen twentysix. Call me when Zachary gets here, and I’ll come back and make introductions for the three of you.” “Take your time.” Brutal walked over and opened the door for them. He slapped Tyler on the back as they exited. “Glad you’re alive, Ty.” “Me too, Tommy,” he said, even though he never took his eyes off of Veronica. “I’ll be back later. We’ll talk more.” Once in their room, Tyler stripped her bare, kissed her senseless and led her to the shower. “I’m going to order some room service while you scrub away all your troubles in the steamy water. I’ll come and wash your back later, if you want.” “That would be great. Thanks.” She stuck her head under the stinging spray. “You’re welcome,” he said and left the room. Veronica didn’t know how long she stood and showered, doing her best to relax and let the traumatic day rinse down the drain with the jasmine scented soap. She was a little surprised that Tyler hadn’t returned to wash her back, but figured he’d been called to his brother’s room. He deserved time to reacquaint himself with the brother he’d thought had been dead for twenty years. Veronica understood the guilt of family obligations very well. The fragrant, moist air swirled around her as she stepped from the luxurious shower, dried off, and donned yet another expensive silk robe provided by the hotel. She hadn’t had an extensive wardrobe

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since living with her father as a child, but for the first time in years, she longed for the indulgence of more than a few changes of clothing. The ice-blue fabric of the robe caressed her skin as longing for a different life with her husband embraced her heart. Tyler was such an unexpected boon in her life. Their relationship had started suddenly, but Veronica had hope for a brighter future with Tyler. He knew about her ugly past, had apparently known for sometime, and didn’t seem to care. How long has it been since I’ve felt this content? Too long, she answered and vowed to pursue a life with him. An indistinct noise emanated from the other room. “Tyler,” she called out. Instinct born out of being on the run for so long, tugged at her insides with the idea that something indefinable was out of place. Behind her, the bathroom door opened, and the chill air from the other room hit her exposed legs. Kraal stepped into the bathroom leveling a gun at her. “No. Not Tyler.” Veronica’s first thought was that she didn’t have her weapon in here. “Where is he?” “Since bullets don’t seem to have an impact, I shot him with a poison dart when he opened the door for room service. He went down like a stone. I’m sure he’s stopped breathing by now.” Veronica swallowed hard. Please don’t be dead. “What do you want, Kraal?” “First of all, I want to know where Draken is?” She thrust both shoulders up in a quick defiant shrug. “How should I know? Last time I saw him, he was crumpled in a heap on the floor of a barn in Montana.” Veronica braced herself for a fight. The sudden tears welling in her eyes over Tyler being shot with poison had to do with anger and not sorrow. Kraal’s mouth flattened. “I suppose you revealed my plan to kill the Grand Chancellor tomorrow.”

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“I suppose I did.” The expression on his face shifted. He sent a slow gaze down her body as if just noticing she was clad in only a sheer robe. He motioned her with his gun. “Come on. Let’s go.” “No.” She crossed her arms and leaned her butt against the sink. “I’m guessing that you don’t have the same technology that your freak husband has with regard to bullets or poison darts, so get your ass moving or I’ll kill you where you stand. The Savior’s Hand will pay nicely for your corpse, but I’m certain they’d rather I bring you back alive. You’re infamous for getting away and I’m sure they have grand plans to teach the others a lesson.” Veronica narrowed her eyes as she searched the room for a weapon. Finding nothing, she grated a response between clenched teeth, “I refuse to make this easy.” “Good.” He licked his lips with exaggeration. “More invigorating for me.” The sound of the hotel’s room door crashing inward distracted Kraal and gave Veronica the needed time to kick his gun hand. He didn’t release the gun, but it fired into the ceiling as he fought for balance. The quieted report suggested he had a built in silencer. Too bad no one in the hotel would be alerted or call for help. She gave Kraal a hard shove, pushing him into the sunken tub, and ran out of the bathroom in time to see Tyler’s brother enter their hotel room. If he ever lived up to his nickname Brutal, it was completely visible in the look in his eyes when he saw that his brother on the ground at his feet. “Bitch,” Kraal screamed. He clamored out of the tub and followed close on her heels out of the door. Even with the maniacal look in Brutal’s eyes, Veronica ran toward him. Tyler rested on one side on the floor. Tyler’s gun was in his hand, a discarded room service cart sat next to his body. Kraal slowed but leveled his weapon at Brutal. Veronica, still running, dove for Tyler’s gun.

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“You killed my brother?” Brutal’s sinister tone sent a shiver down her spine as she crouched next to her husband. Tyler wasn’t moving. She kissed his cheek, and she noted he also wasn’t breathing. Negotiating the gun from his fingertips, she whispered, “I’m so sorry. I love you.” Kraal’s scratchy laughter filled the room. “The freak has a brother? So if I shoot you in the chest five time, will you come back to life, too?” Veronica palmed the large pistol, flipped the safety off Tyler’s gun, and stood with both hands gripping his gun. “Back off, Kraal.” Kraal shifted the focus of his weapon to her. He laughed again. “Do you think I’m an idiot? I can tell that it’s a biometric handle, you stupid bitch. You’re bluffing. You can’t fire it.” Veronica pulled the trigger. It apparently had a built-in silencer also because the noise from Tyler’s weapon was almost nonexistent. She hit Kraal in the chest, purposely missing his heart. The unexpected recoil of the gun sent her slightly off balance, but Brutal caught her and kept her from falling. She watched Kraal crumple to the ground, surprise etched on his features. Brutal steadied her, walked over to Kraal, and kicked his gun across the carpet. He bent and felt for a pulse. “Is he dead?” Veronica asked. “No. He’s still breathing. How did you fire Tyler’s weapon?” Brutal asked as he grabbed a communications device from his pocket. “I noticed it has a biometric handle, too.” Veronica dropped her arms. “He coded my handprint onto the handle so I could use it whenever I needed to.” She glanced down at Tyler’s motionless body and fell to her knees beside him. She rolled him to his back and plucked the dart from his neck. Tossing the offensive barb to the side, she bent down and rested her head on his chest, listening for a comforting sound, which didn’t come. His heart wasn’t beating.

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“What is going on in here?” Although Veronica had never met him, she recognized Zachary Valetta’s voice from his countless media appearances. She shot up, twisted her head to look over one shoulder, and saw Eastlake City’s most powerful prosecutor standing in the open doorway with an incredulous expression wreathing his face watching as she hovered over Tyler’s unmoving body. Brutal responded. “This dirtbag on the floor over here shot Tyler.” “Tyler got shot again?” Zachary asked moving into the room. Veronica nodded and said, “With a poison dart to his neck.” “Oh. Good.” He sighed as if in relief until he saw her frown. “Don’t worry. He’ll come around in a minute.” She squinted. “He will?” Zachary squatted down to her level. “I assume you know about the healing technology he has built in, so to speak.” “Yes. But it’s only for bullets, right?” Veronica glanced at Tyler and back at Zachary. “Nope. Not only can he recover from physical trauma, like bullets, but his body can also neutralize poisons.” He grinned. “He’s also no fun to go drinking with.” “Why is he still unconscious?” “Depending on the strength of the poison and how much he ingested, it might take a few minutes for the implants to heal him, but they will.” Zachary winked at her and stood. He walked over to where Brutal guarded Kraal. Veronica stared at Tyler, and a horrible thought occurred to her. During their wedding night, she’d thought he was drugged and drunk while she sexually manipulated him into a permanent marriage. But if Tyler could neutralize poison, and alcohol wasn’t an issue, then he’d deceived her. As if he read the furious thoughts burgeoning in her mind, Tyler snapped awake all of a sudden, sat up in the next second, and promptly grabbed her by the shoulders in a vise-like grip.

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Tyler’s fierce gaze sent a sonic pulse to her core. She didn’t know whether to be grateful he wasn’t dead or furious that he’d tricked her from the very beginning. “Give me a chance to explain.” The bitter taste of yet another betrayal burned through her brain. “You were never drunk or drugged the night we got married.” “Not exactly. I was weak from lack of sex. And I wanted you with a desperation I’ll never be able to duplicate, but until you climaxed the first time, it would have been, let’s say difficult for me to keep you at bay.” “Oh, bullshit. You could have stopped me with one pinky finger.” She pushed at his chest, but he only pulled her closer. Tyler grinned. “I didn’t want to stop you.” Veronica stopped struggling. “Why not?” “Pay attention. I love you.” Tyler released her shoulders only long enough to clench her against his chest. Burying his face in her neck, he whispered, “I’ve wanted you in my life since the moment I pulled you inside my room at that crappy motel. We belong together.” Veronica snuggled against him. “What makes you so sure we belong together?” “You’re a homeless, out-of-work assassin, and I’m a lonely, wellto-do mercenary ready to settle down and have a family. Where else will I find anyone as perfect as you are?” She sighed and kissed his cheek. “Do you know how guilty I felt about trapping you into a permanent marriage?” Tyler laughed against her throat. “Not as guilty as I did for keeping quiet about letting you. Forgive me?” “Yes. I forgive you.” She ran her fingertips along the side of his face. His lips pressed along her jaw. “Do me a favor and tell me you love me. I’d like to hear it once when I’m not dead?” Veronica laughed. “I love you.” From across the room, they heard Brutal say to Zachary,

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“Watching them is more entertaining than any dramatic performance you’ll ever see on the screen.”

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Epilogue “What are you doing here?” Veronica’s father asked from behind the bulletproof glass separating them as he sat down on his side of the partition. “If you’ve come to gloat about my incarceration, you’re wasting your breath. I’ll be vindicated in no time.” She took a deep breath and ignored his conceit over imminent vindication. “I wanted to know if you were the one who told Draken where I was or if he found me on his own in Montana.” Veronica was already seated and Tyler waited against the wall behind her out of earshot. Her father shifted his gaze over her shoulder in Tyler’s direction. He shrugged, but didn’t respond. Clearing her throat, Veronica tried a different tack. “The Tiberius Group has lots of charges listed against you. Are you guilty of any them?” “That will be up to the magistrate to decide when my trial comes up.” Veronica smiled serenely. “If I know Draken, he gave you up the first time they slapped handcuffs on his wrists, which is why you’re here. Once Kraal is released from the hospital, he’ll go straight to jail and confirm whatever story Draken has told regardless of its accuracy.” Her father didn’t even flinch. “We’ll see.” “Rumor has it that Mr. Barnhardt is in federal custody with a highly ranked Lawman guarding him. They say he’s handing over reams of paper with lists of those who colluded with him against the Grand Chancellor. Are you going to be on that list, do you think?” “What’s it to you?”

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Veronica wouldn’t be here at all except as a favor to Charles Huntington. Once Tyler had shared information on the secret group he and Zachary helped run to thwart the Tiberius Group, she agreed to help feed the lie that Charles was on the Tiberius Group’s side. “Even though you’ve treated my like shit my whole life…you are my father.” “You’ve never willingly admitted that deplorable fact before, why now? What do you really want, Veronica?” “The truth is, my mercenary husband’s good friend Charles Huntington asked me to come and speak with you. Apparently, you’ve been very quiet during your incarceration. You haven’t given them any lists or reams of paper. I was sent to see if I could get you to talk. I told them you wouldn’t tell me anything. Seeing as how I was a female child you never wanted.” “It’s true. You were one of three girls your mother disappointed me with before being unable to bear my son. Too bad she didn’t perish in childbirth with Valentina so I could remarry and try again.” Her father’s expression was mournfully unrepentant and much like he mulled over a difficult problem to solve. Veronica half stood wanting to reach through the glass and choke him. “You son of a bitch, Mother almost died giving you Valentina,” she said through clenched teeth before he raised his hands as if in surrender. She seated herself again and looked over her shoulder at Tyler. He didn’t move, but his expression was murderous. Another outburst, and he’d likely break the glass for her and help with the strangulation. A smarmy smile suddenly shaped her father’s mouth as if he had a secret. “I heard some interesting rumors when you were returned from the streets before Valentina’s wedding.” “Oh? What rumors?” “Is it true you sold your body repeatedly to stay alive after you ran away from home?”

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“No. I was tricked into joining an assassin’s group called The Savior’s Hand and instead I learned to shoot.” Veronica was glad her father’s information was erroneous and additionally grateful she’d never been forced into prostitution. The smile faded from her father’s lips. He paused and stared a moment. “Too bad you aren’t a boy, Veronica. Both of our lives would have been vastly different.” Veronica was struck by a reality she never expected to admit. “For the first time in my life, I’m glad I was born a girl. I’m grateful not to be someone you’d be proud of.” The cheap metal chair squeaked as it scraped across the concrete floor when she stood to leave. “I won’t be back. Do you have a final scathing comment to make before I go?” Her father’s eyes shifted to Tyler. “I hope your mercenary husband can keep you in line better than I did. You’ve always been far too imperious. He should subjugate you before it’s too late.” “Don’t hold your breath on that, Dad. Tyler prefers strong women and he lets me do all sorts of things you wouldn’t approve of.” “Then he’s a fool. Strong women are an abomination.” He also stood to leave. With one final contemptuous stare he turned and never looked back. Veronica took a deep cleansing breath and exited the visitation room with Tyler closed on her heels. Spending time with her father made her want to run away all over again, but she didn’t have to because her current life with Tyler was completely perfect. With Skip living out of the country, she’d gone back and rounded up the remaining ragtag business associates still living on the outskirts of Tiberius sanctioned space. Tyler had graciously added them to the payrolls of his various businesses including a job for her as a Torcher in his off the books security businesses. When she turned over a tall stack of official blank Tiberius death forms, she even earned a genuine grin from Snake. Veronica gave Tyler her book of black market business contacts and he made sure her ammunition clips remained full. And of course there was the

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incredible sex life they shared. Win. Win. Win. That was the description of her life. Tyler stopped her outside the justice center visitation center doors. He put a finger under her chin and lifted until she looked at him. “For the record, I’ve always been glad you were born a girl.” She smiled. “Thanks. Did you hear everything?” He nodded and grinned. “Want to go to the target range and take out some aggression?” “That’s sweet of you to offer, but what I’d really like to do is take my aggressions out in a different way. Something more physical.” Squinting, he asked, “Hand to hand combat practice?” She shook her head dislodging his finger from her face. “Bed.” Tyler grinned again and kissed her mouth. “You’re the best wife.” “Considering how many wives you’ve had that’s an exceptionally nice compliment.” She looped his arm in hers as they exited the justice center. He rolled his head back and laughed. “I’m so not nice. I’ll prove that to you once I get you into bed and show you all the naughty things I know.” Veronica pressed against him as they walked. “I love you, Tyler.” He slung an arm around her shoulders hugging her body close. “Love you too, Baby Doll.”

THE END WWW.LARASANTIAGO.COM

AUTHOR’S BIO

Lara Santiago always loved to write. However, her pragmatic, analytical side got the upper hand at an early age and informed her she should be getting a ‘real’ job and not pursuing a creative writing career. She joined the Air Force and spent her four years of service in Blytheville, Arkansas working nights in Supply issuing aircraft parts to guys working on the flight line. Her husband discovered her there and married her to continue getting his aircraft parts quicker than all the others. Lara soon earned a degree in the field of Logistics—a word she thinks is very sexy. No logisticians will ever be the bad guy in any of her novels.

After the military, Lara spent many practical years working at a ‘real’ job, allowing her analytical side total free rein. Then one day, the characters banging incessantly inside her brain simply couldn’t be silenced any longer. She bought a laptop with the sole purpose of writing a book to allow her creative side to express itself and to let all those characters out. Her motto…so many characters…so little time. To those interested, Lara’s practical, analytical side is now stuffed in a dark hole and only allowed out once or twice a month to pay bills. When she isn’t hunched over her faithful laptop, now with half the letters chipped off in her zeal to write as fast as possible, Lara enjoys reading, catching up on all her recorded television shows, and watching movies. Oh, and occasionally, she cooks for her family, too. She hopes her readers enjoy her stories and looks forward to hearing from them—but only if they refrain from insisting she make anyone in Logistics a bad guy. ☺

Check out Lara’s latest books at www.sirenpublishing.com/larasantiago Visit Lara’s website at www.larasantiago.com

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